


Faith

by flutterby_cupcake_26



Series: Destiel family [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angelic Grace, Antichrist, F/M, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Men of Letters, Men of Letters Bunker, Minor Character Death, Nephilim, Original Character Death(s), Other, Parenthood, Superpowers, This is what happens when I try not to do romance and it's not pretty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-11
Updated: 2016-10-31
Packaged: 2018-08-21 21:59:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 40
Words: 78,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8261860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flutterby_cupcake_26/pseuds/flutterby_cupcake_26
Summary: Continuation of Cassandra Teal/Those Nephilim Days. It's been years since Dean and Castiel lost their daughter to the angels intent on destroying her. Dean no longer hunts, Castiel spends long stretches of time in Heaven. Sam is semi-retired, and writing a definitive guide on hunting, occasionally helping the current breed of hunters. But they soon learn of a new, young hunter on the scene, one who seems reckless and on a death wish, unafraid of the consequences of her actions.Could she be their long lost nephilim daughter? Could she still be alive? Or is she one of the antichrist children who were also born around the same time, risking the entire world?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Wayward_Mom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wayward_Mom/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a note to say: I wrote this two and a half years ago. Before I did Fifty First Dates. I think the quality of my writing has vastly improved, but I wanted to put all my Fanfic efforts on AO3.
> 
> Despite how long it's been since I wrote this (and it is still unfinished. I'm trying to finish all my unfinished fanfics at the moment before starting any more) I won't be clearing up language or grammar mistakes. This is warts and all. I think it's good to preserve things as they were, to see how far you've come, you know?
> 
> Sorry that it relies so heavily on Faith. I hope that having her be the narrator more than anyone else won't be a deal breaker x

The hall was dark, the only source of light came through the cracks in the walls and ceiling where the street lamps shone through. Two figures clung to the wall as they stepped cautiously through the building, their shoes barely making a sound. They held their breath as the one in front stepped forward, easing open a door.

'Are you sure about this?' The other one whispered. The one in front turned back, pressing a finger to their lips and then giving a thumbs up, before stepping forward, into the next room. The one left behind looked over their shoulder nervously, before following the leader inside the room.

They stopped short when they saw three people standing in the room, their poses impossibly stiff, their eyes tracking both of the new visitors.

'Is it me or are hunters getting younger?' One of the room occupants drawled.

'Guess you're not going to find out,' the leader smirked, pulling a machete from behind their back and practically flying around the room, slicing their heads off, as her cohort cowered in the corner. As the last head dropped, and she cleaned her blade on the victim's shirt, she looked over at her friend and rolled her eyes, hopeful that he couldn't see in the dark. 'Man up, Dax.'

'I'm sorry, Faith, it's not every day you seek out a vampire coven and slaughter them like it was nothing. Vampires, Faith! We could have been bitten, we could have been like, Cullened!'

'You complain too much, Dax. Come on, let's get out of here. I think they were the only ones left in the nest.'

She sheathed the machete then grabbed his hand, and tugged him out of the room, back down the passageway and through a fire escape, sliding down the metal railings and jumping at the end of the ladder, landing lightly on her feet. She looked up, and saw Dax clinging onto the end of the ladder, peeking down over his shoulder and squinting through his thick-framed square glasses.

'Faith?' He whined. She rolled her eyes, and flicked back her hair, then took a running jump and caught him, easily ten feet in the air, bringing him down gently in the alleyway the fire escape let out on. She looked around the entrance to the alleyway, and then pulled Dax out with her as a particularly large crowd of tourists passed by.

'Can we leave New York now?' Dax asked under his breath, crossing his arms across his skinny chest. 'I hate being here.'

'Fine. I have a couple of other things I want to check out.'

'Faith,' Dax groaned. 'Turn it off for a second, please. I just want to rest.'

Faith pretended not to hear him as they walked through a few more busy blocks, until they reached an old, yet cared for, green-and-cream coloured Volkswagen Camper. Dax unlocked it, climbing into the driver's seat and pushing his shaggy fringe back as Faith climbed into the camper part, drawing the curtains before storing her machete and a small pistol she had tucked into her bra. He pulled out into the crazy New York traffic as Faith climbed forward into the passenger seat, shoving her long brown hair back and checking her cell phone.

'So, do we get to sleep before you find something else paranormal to kill?' Dax asked before slamming his hand on the horn, the beep only drowned out by the other cars who were also sounding their horns.

'I'm sorry, are you giving me shit because I eradicated an entire nest of vampires who were terrorising New York? You're the one who watched Ghostfacers. You're the one who fanboys over Carver Edlund's books. I'm the one with the balls to go out there and do the real thing.'

'Are we fighting?' Dax sighed, taking an opportunity through the traffic. 'Faith, it's two in the morning-'

'Tell that to the New Yorkians,' Faith muttered. Dax smiled, despite himself.

'Right? I'm just tired.'

'So we'll find a motel out in Hoboken or somewhere. I want to get to Philly tomorrow morning. Heard there's a shape shifter just outside the city, we should totally check it out.'

'Faith, I love you, but there's something wrong with you, I swear.' Dax muttered.

'I heard that,' she rested her boots on the dashboard, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. 'Don't be so butthurt.'

She reached over to the dashboard, and changed the CD from the whining indie music Dax had chosen, slipping in Led Zeppelin instead.

'Really, Faith?' Dax groaned, as the heavy baseline started.

'It's comforting.' She shrugged, leaning her head back against the headrest. 'So, Hoboken?'

'Hoboken,' Dax nodded, squinting at the roadsigns ahead for the exits out of the city. 'No joking.'

Faith snorted with laughter, tapping her hands on her knees along with the rhythm of the music, humming softly along.


	2. Chapter 2

'So, what's in Philly?' Dax asked as Faith drove along the open highway, willing the camper van to go anywhere near sixty.

'According to Krissy, a shapeshifter.'

'I know, but what ki-Krissy? We're taking tips from her now?' Dax shoved his glasses up his nose, one arm balancing along the fold of his book. Faith shrugged, one arm resting on the window ledge as she steered one handed.

'What's wrong with Krissy?'

'She's crazy! Do you remember Nantucket?'

'Yes. I'm surprised you do, since you were hiding. Again. Anyway, she's taught me a lot, and her advice is pretty golden.'

'She's a headcase.'

'Rumour has it, she was taught by the best hunter to ever walk America, or maybe the planet. He's her phone guy now. Wish we had a phone guy. It'd make everything much easier.'

'And my friend isn't enough?' Dax buried his head back into the book, and Faith sighed, letting the argument go.

'So, what're you reading? Case notes?'

'Nope. Supernatural, again. Since you said shapeshifter, I thought I'd go through the books looking for tips. In this one, the shapeshifter kidnaps both Dean and Sam and copies them at different points, just to attack an old friend of Sam's. I mean, I get the story is about Sam and Dean but the character development for the monster-'

'Dax, it's a book. It's not going to have miracle answers. And it's simple, we need a silver blade.'

Dax looked over at his girlfriend as she glared at the road.

'It's still been useful.'

'I read one of them once, it's like gay porn. Krissy said-' Dax took a sharp breath in as Faith ploughed on, regardless. 'That really, we only need a few weapons to take on a whole assortment of monsters. Salt, iron, silver, knives, guns, demon traps, a few words of latin, and a healthy supply of lighters or matches. The rest is all for show.'

'Why are you so confident about all of this?' Dax wondered aloud.

'Because you're so timid. Relax, okay? No one's going to eat your heart out. And hey, while we're here, we can have proper Philly cheesesteaks.'

'You have the appetite of a trucker.' Dax mused, and returned to his book.

'I love it when you flirt with me, Dax,' Faith grinned back at him.

*

Once they finally got to Kulpsville, just outside of Philadelphia, Faith slammed the van into park and dived into the back, assembling all the equipment they could possibly need, as Dax ducked to avoid her waving, booted foot.

'Faith, is it practical to hunt in heeled boots?' Dax asked as one of the thick heels came close to his face again.

'They're Steve Madden, babe. If I die on the job, I want to die pretty.' She twisted around in the cramped back area as though it were effortless.

'Okay, we're high school students, looking to up our credits on going to a good journalism school, and we'd really appreciate the opportunity to write some pressing, real life issues. Neither of us are enamoured with gossip rags, we like edgy shit. Can you nerd that up a little?'

Dax rolled his eyes.

'Yes. This bit I can do.'

'Perfect,' she leaned back through and kissed his cheek. 'Okay, I'm ready, let's go.'

She jumped out of the back of the van, slamming the door and winding her hand in a circle, gesturing to Dax to hurry the hell up. He pushed his glasses up his nose again, and fluffed his fringe before grabbing the car keys and following Faith out with a dictaphone and a notebook, a pencil slid in the binding.

He didn't see the point in the pretence. Faith had this uncanny knack of knowing what a person was thinking within moments of meeting them. Dax had long since given up understanding why she still interacted with witnesses and officials when she could easily pick their brains. She had told him once that it was about building trust with the locals, obtaining information about the case that could only come from trust.

Dax actually had no idea why Faith kept him around at all. When it came to fighting monsters, she was a one-woman machine. Her reflexes were incredible, and her intuition was scarily good. Dax sometimes referred to her as a Mary-Sue in his head, and she would always, each and every time, look at him like he was next on the monster hunting list. But she could do this whole job without him, and Dax often felt superfluous.

He had brought the subject up before, one beautiful night as they parked in a field, laying together on the tiny mattress in the back of the van and watching the stars through the skylight. She had explained in her usual awkward-when-Dax-gets-emotional manner that she'd had a crush on him since he first moved into the orphanage she lived in, and now she couldn't imagine life without him. Of course she wanted him there while she tried to eradicate all evil beings. She wanted him there forever.

And then she'd punched him in the arm and told him to stop being such a damn girl before rolling over and falling asleep.

But for the present, Faith was taking his arm and walking slowly up the pathway with him towards a local cafe, which Krissy had said was featured in the article she'd read. Faith let go of Dax's arm as they walked into the building, sliding onto the stalls by the counter and flipping through the menu as though they were going to order. Dax knew Faith was dying for a burger, but she was restrained, and only ordered a glass of coke before she zeroed in on the person she was after. A mousy-looking woman in a dated wrap dress was sitting in a booth, clutching her handbag to her chest. Faith nodded at Dax, who headed over to the woman while Faith drank her soda slowly, an ear cocked towards their conversation.

Dax was aware that Faith could probably hear every single word this woman said, and every thought this woman had. But he ploughed on regardless, trying to investigate the case. After a few minutes, Faith slid off her stool and approached them.

'Ma'am, could we please talk outside?' Faith smiled innocently at the woman, lacing her fingers into Dax's. He stood up immediately, as Faith continued staring at the woman, clearly hinting that she was expected to be part of the conversation. Dax pushed his glasses up his nose, and blinked at the woman.

'Sorry Ms Matthews, Faith has a condition where she needs fresh air frequently. Something about the dust?'

'You mean she has asthma?' The woman asked a little skeptically.

'I wish,' Faith rolled her eyes, and left the diner, striding around to the trash area. Dax and Ms Matthews followed, the elder lady's nose wrinkling as she looked at the area.

'I fail to see how the refuse section is a better quality of air than inside the diner.'

'Who talks like that?' Faith rolled her eyes, all joviality gone as she strode up to Ms Matthews, staring up at the elder woman's wrinkled, pale face. 'Because Ms Matthews sure as fuck doesn't.'

And before Dax had time to register it properly, Faith had drawn a short silver dagger from the steampunk hip bag she insisted on wearing, and stabbed Ms Matthews in the gut. She withdrew the blade, and stabbed the woman again in the chest, watching the skin around the wounds as it bubbled and sizzled from the contact with the blade. She pushed hard on the blade, waiting for the life to leave Ms Matthews as something gurgled up the older woman's throat, and the body eventually dropped to the ground.

'Faith,' Dax's voice was weak, and he held his stomach as they watched the now lifeless body contort, and blackened blood leaked out of the woman's wounds, throat, nose and ears. Faith cleaned her blade quickly, and grabbed Dax's hand, tugging him back towards the camper van. 'Shouldn't we hide the body? People are going to want to question us. Faith, we need to strategise more!'

'No. What we need to do is find that skin walker's lair and find the real Ms Matthews before something bad happens to her.'

'You just killed someone, Faith!''

A skin walker. Come on Dax, it's what we do! There's a lot of monsters out there that look human. You're lucky I can read who those people are.' She gestured for the keys, which he gave over grudgingly, and she opened up the camper van, climbing into the driver's seat. Dax climbed into the passenger side, and put a Coldplay CD on.

'Don't you dare complain,' he warned her. 'I need to chill after watching you stab someone.'

Faith rolled her eyes at Dax's melodrama, but reminded silent as she put the van into drive and headed further into the local farmland.

'Where are we even going?' Dax asked eventually.

'From that skin walker's body language, I got that it kept its victims in an abandoned barn.'

'Abandoned barn, abandoned warehouse, for once, can't we enter a nice place?' Dax sighed.

'That's what he said.' Faith quipped.

'You're not funny.' Dax groaned, folding his skinny arms across his chest as Faith navigated the van across potholes.

'But you love me anyway. I think that's where we're aiming for.' She pointed at a dilapidated building ahead of them. Dax groaned, but said nothing as she drove right up to the building, parking the camper van and leaving it running as she ran out, into the barn. Dax shifted across the front seat, taking the driver's side and waited for her.

Inside the barn, Faith had barely made it five paces before she nearly tripped over a dead body. The stench of the room was insane, rotting flesh, rust, old blood mixed with used hay, and general decay. She stepped lightly over the body, recognising the victim as the first person Krissy had tapped for this case. Mr Hitchcock, middle-aged, balding, pot-bellied, bulbous nose. She crept further into the barn, and climbed a hay stack without putting a strand out of place as she followed the faint sound of something mewing in pain.

'Ms Matthews?' Faith whispered as she reached the top of the haystack. She saw a woman curled up in a ball, her clothing tattered and dirty, her bright orange hair unkempt. The woman looked up at her nervously, her green eyes darting about. 'My name's Faith. I'm here to help you. It's gone, you're safe.'

Ms Matthews stared at her, shaking slightly.

'Are you a hunter?' Ms Matthews whispered. Faith nodded, her mind racing as she tried to think of a cover story that would wipe Ms Matthew's memory of her experience. While she was wracking her brains for a good excuse, Ms Matthews smiled, standing up slightly. 'I trust hunters.'

Faith quirked her mouth to one side as she nodded absently, while Ms Matthews continued chattering.

'My name's Charlie. I don't know how much the hunting circle gossips about the old days, but two hunters sent me to Oz about twenty years ago. I loved those guys, especially when they helped me live out a dream, you know?'

Faith nodded again, holding a hand out for Charlie to take, while she continued yammering away, Faith only half-listening. So, Charlie had seen some crazy shit, maybe Faith could find some way to stop her talking and leave her memory in tact. Maybe it'd help with the verbal diarrhoea. They got to the camper van, and Faith nodded to the passenger seat for Charlie before diving into the back. Dax looked up from his book, smiling at Charlie.

'I see you've had the Faith experience.' Dax grinned. Charlie beamed back.

'She's a character. Reminds me of my friend. Hey, whatcha reading?'

Dax's face turned pale, and he buried the book in the small slot in the driver's side door before coughing slightly.

'Oh, um, just some sci-fi book. Faith thinks me reading them is a sign that I'm repressing my true sexuality.'

'Looked like a Supernatural book,' Charlie winked, and they both began chattering about the series, oblivious to Faith heavily rolling her eyes.

'Can we get going already?' Faith called from the back. Charlie snorted with laughter as Dax put the van into drive.

'She's so much like Dean.'

'Dean from the books? I know. You get used to it eventually.'

'I meant my friend Dean. I haven't seen him in years. He was a hunter, and then one day he just stopped. No idea why.'

'It's so strange that you know a hunter called Dean who acts like that too. What are the odds?' Dax sounded impressed. Charlie snorted with laughter.

'Dax, you have no idea.'

'So, where're we driving?' Dax asked, manoeuvring the van back into the small town.

'Just by the bookstore would be good.'

Dax did as instructed, and drove until he reached the bookstore. He parked up, and Charlie scribbled her number on a scrap of paper.

'Any time you guys need it, give me a call. You seem nice. Take care. You too, Faith.'

Faith nodded, and Dax waved, as Charlie climbed out and walked straight into the bookstore.

'Lose her number.' Faith said shortly as she climbed through the van into the passenger side again, slapping Metallica into the CD drive. Dax sighed, and pocketed Charlie's number anyway, ignoring Faith's sudden jealousy.

'So, where next?' Dax asked, hoping the subject change would deter Faith from turning moody.

'Mississippi.'

'Why Mississippi?'

'This,' Faith pulled a folded piece of paper out of her pack, smoothing it out and ad-libbing from the article. 'Four factory workers have all disappeared in the space of three months. The factory was built on a stretch of land that no one's used for decades. Apparently, it was built a year ago. Before the disappearances, they had other problems, machines breaking down, surveyors hearing voices, someone got hurt in a machine too. It sounds like some kind of haunting to me.'

'Okay.' Dax sighed in relief. Faith was pretty easy-going when it came to standard hauntings. At least no one would die hunting the ghost. 'So, why did you leave Charlie's memory intact? Normally you make up some bullshit story and they believe every word of what you say.'

Faith didn't answer him straight away, instead she ran her thumbs across the worn paper clipping, smoothing the torn edges.

'She's met hunters before. She knows the score. And I didn't think you'd noticed I could do that.'

'Faith, it's probably the least complicated thing you can do.'

Faith rolled her eyes, and slumped in her seat.

'Yeah, well, if Charlie blabs, we'll track her down and I'll repair the damage.'

Dax sighed, and decided to leave it alone. Faith was clearly in a mood, most likely from being jealous of Dax's immediate connection with Charlie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I know she's a Bradbury ;)


	3. Chapter 3

Dax and Faith had stopped at a small diner on an old back road for dinner on their way to Mississippi. Once again, Dax had ordered the most complicated-sounding food on the menu, despite Faith rolling her eyes and breaking down in layman's terms why brie on brioche was cheese on toast for douchebags. She was sinking her teeth into a bacon cheeseburger and cheese fries, savouring every bite, and Dax was trying not to openly wonder, again, how Faith maintained a decent physique when she ate her weight in red meat and carbs. She still narrowed her eyes at him as though she knew exactly what he was thinking.

And halfway through their meals, a figure appeared, seemingly from nowhere, leaning onto the table with folded arms and smiling up at Faith. She looked at the man, who was roughly her height, mid-length golden hair slicked back and a twinkle in his eyes, and she grinned, as Dax rolled his eyes. He would never get used to Gabriel just appearing.

'Hey, Gabe,' Faith said around her mouthful of cheese fries. Gabriel winked, and looked at Dax.

'Hey boy wonder. Enjoying the pretentious meal?'

'I was,' Dax said sullenly. 'So, what's the bad news?'

'Can't I just visit my two favourite teens without an agenda?' Gabriel smiled, and turned as a waitress approached the table. 'I'll have a strawberry milkshake and the biggest slice of chocolate fudge cake you got.'

The waitress nodded, and backed away again, writing down Gabriel's order as Faith swallowed and dipped another fry in the sea of ketchup on her plate.

'There's not another message from your boss, is there?'

Gabriel shook his head.

'Not really. He just likes to check up on you both. He worries.'

'I've never understood why,' Dax rolled his eyes again, the effect lost as he pushed his glasses further up his nose. Gabriel shook his head and leaned closer to Dax.

'That's because, Dax, you're a mere mortal and will never truly comprehend the politics of Heaven. It is not your place.'

'But it's Faiths?' Dax shot back. Faith dipped her burger in the ketchup pool, and bit into it rather than get involved in their argument. It was a recurring one, and Faith knew Dax didn't trust Gabriel. The waitress reappeared with Gabriel's order, and disappeared again as Gabriel tucked in.

'Know your place, Dax. Boy, if anyone needed any just desserts … Faith,' Gabriel turned to the girl, whose cheeks were puffing out as she chewed furiously on a huge bite of her burger. Gabriel smirked slightly at the sight. 'Castiel wanted me to tell you that we have cleaned the site where the skin walker was destroyed, and made sure Charlie is coping well after her ordeal. And if you could listen to Dax more often when he tells you to exercise caution, that would be wonderful. Don't shoot the messenger.'

Faith began talking around her mouthful of food again.

'That's ass! This Castiel guy-'

'Watch what you say, Faith.' Gabriel warned her.

'I don't care! This angel guy, what does he want with me, anyway? You can tell him to shove it up his ass.'

Gabriel didn't answer, but sucked on the straw of his shake thoughtfully. When the entire glass was drained, he changed tact.

'I know it's hard to understand, Faith, but there's a reason to everything. You'll see. Personally, I think you did the right thing, but it's not my opinion that matters.'

'What do you owe this Castiel, anyway?' Faith asked obstinately.

'He brought me back to life. I owe him that.' Gabriel shrugged, and disappeared, taking the chocolate fudge cake with him. Dax gave Faith an annoyed look, and she bit down on her cheeseburger furiously. She knew what Dax was thinking, that Gabriel was always this much of a dick, but she didn't think he was, not normally anyway. She was more frustrated about this Castiel, who always used their friend Gabriel as a mouthpiece. Why couldn't Castiel come his frigging self?

'Gabriel never pays when he drops in at dinner,' Dax grouched.

'Least of my worries.' Faith grumbled.

'He's right, though, Faith,' Dax fluffed his fringe up as he sipped his coffee. 'We need to be more careful. You go in, all guns blazing, working on instinct, and that's great, but one day it's going to get us into trouble.'

Faith rolled her eyes, and bit down onto her burger, refusing to talk for the rest of the meal. Dax understood that she hated that advice, and she just needed a little bit of time to sulk. She threw down a few dollar bills as soon as her last fry was gone and stood up, Dax running to keep up with her as they crossed the parking lot. Faith climbed into the driver's seat and Dax sat in the passenger side wordlessly, letting Faith put some Hadouken onto the music system and pounding out her frustration. He waited until they had put a good fifty miles between the diner and themselves before he turned the music down and approached the topic.

'No one's saying you're not good at what you do, Faith.' He said gently.

'You know what, Dax? I don't want to talk about it.' And she reached over, and turned the music up even louder than before. Dax had clearly underestimated how much Gabriel's words - and his own - were bothering her.

*

They finally got to the town in Mississippi that they'd been aiming for just as night was beginning to fall. Dax insisted that they pay out for a motel room instead of sleeping in their camper van, and Faith grudgingly, silently agreed. Her bad mood had lasted the entire day, and Dax was beginning to wonder if he'd made a mistake and caused her anger by agreeing, for once, with Gabriel. He went to the check in desk as Faith headed for the candy machine, and Dax found himself hoping that the sugar would coddle her. He hated Faith's black moods.

Once he'd checked in - careful to get a twin room, in case things were so bad she didn't want to share a bed with him - he turned around to hand her the key, and found her chatting to an older woman, who was easily thirty, her normally long brown hair swept up in a tight bun, her tailored suit making her look out of place, especially next to Faith's Tomb Raider style outfit of leggings, a tight vest and her ever present hip pack. It was Krissy. Dax tried not to groan as he joined them.

'Hello, Dexter.' Krissy gave a tight smile, as Dax handed over the key to Faith.

'It's Dax.'

Krissy gave a short nod, and turned her attention back to Faith.

'We've been here a day, looking into it. You're welcome to still go over it with us, Sam's with me and he's done this since he was a baby, pretty much. Could be a great learning curve?'

'Sure. Apparently I need one of those.'

'I heard about the skin walker thing. I know you were just prioritising.' Krissy smiled kindly, and squeezed Faith's arm gently. Faith smiled back at her.

'Who's this Sam guy?'

Krissy beamed.

'Oh my God, you both have to come up and meet him!' She looped her arm into Faith's, dragging her out of the room and up the steps to the second level, Dax trailing behind. Dax tried not to be too resentful over the fact that Krissy was there, most likely dominating all of Faith's attention for the entire case. Just like Nantucket. Krissy pushed open a door and Faith filed in, Dax half-running the last few steps to make sure he got in before Krissy gave up and let the door slam in his face.

Inside the room, there was a man who was definitely pushing fifty, wearing a shirt and tie and tailored slacks, his blazer placed on the back of the chair he was sitting on. He was staring at the screen of a laptop that was practically buried under piles of papers and texts, His chin-length grey hair slicked back out of his eyes. Dax had a sense of foreboding around this guy, but Faith didn't seem to acknowledge him as she headed for Krissy's suitcase, rummaging inside to check on her weapons.

'Faith, Dax, this is my friend, Sam Winchester. One of the best hunters you'll ever meet. Sam, this is my friend Faith, and her boyfriend, Dax.'

Sam looked up from the screen, surveying Dax carefully, his gaze drifting slowly to Faith. Dax could tell there was a lot more going on in Sam's head than he was expressing on his face. Dax was never going to play poker with this guy.

'Krissy, they're just children.' He spoke quietly, returning his gaze to the computer screen. Faith looked up at him indignantly.

'We're practically adults! And I've been doing this since forever.'

Sam snorted softly to himself as Krissy tried to stand up for her friend.

'Sam, you were how old when your dad gave you a gun and told you to shoot? How old when the demon visited? And Faith is incredible. She wiped out a coven of vampires in about an hour. Even you and Dean couldn't manage that.'

Dax held up his hand at Faith, before she could join in the ranting.

'Sorry, did you just say Dean? As in, Sam and Dean?' Dax's excitement crept into his voice, raising the pitch as he spoke. Krissy rolled her eyes at Sam, who was looking up at her blankly.

'Dax is a fan of Edlund Carver, and the Ghostfacer boys.' She deadpanned. The corner's of Sam's mouth turned down as he nodded, and looked at Dax again, making Dax feel uncomfortable as Sam's eyes swept over him, summing him up.

Sam leaned across the laptop, reaching for a bottle of beer Dax hadn't noticed before.

'What would you do, Dax, if I said those stories were true? Based on cases my brother and I worked on?'

Faith snorted with laughter.

'Good one, dude!'

'You're that Sam? Sam who said yes to Lucifer after he let him out of the box? Sam with the extra powers?' Dax's voice was now constricting, like he was rapidly losing his voice. Sam watched him steadily for a moment, before returning his attention to Krissy.

'So far, I think I've found maybe one source that's worth investigating further. The area used to belong to a cotton farmer, the factory was built where the cotton fields used to be. According to this, there was a fire back in the eighteen-seventies that killed three people.'

'Wouldn't that mean they were cremated? Why the haunting now?' Krissy asked, pulling a chair over next to Sam and sitting beside him, looking at the computer screen herself as Faith snorted with derision and cocked one of Krissy's handguns, aiming it at the headboard of one of the beds. Dax sighed, and sat opposite Sam and Krissy, actually enjoying listening to Sam discussing the facts, instead of Faith's usual show-up-and-dive-in attitude. Sam was quickly becoming a hero for Dax.

'I guess they were attached to the field. While it was left alone, there were no problems, but as soon as they started building on the land, they disturbed the bones, or disrupted a curse. It's going to take a lot of talking to convince them to remove the factory and leave the ground alone.'

'I can do that,' Faith sounded bored as she put the safety back on the gun and picked up a machete, running the pad of a thumb over the edge of the blade. 'Krissy, sharpen your weapons more often.'

'Kid, I'm sorry, there's no way you have any kind of authority that would make anyone listen to you.'

'I'm seventeen!' Faith shot back, using the blade to point at Sam, who just stared back at her.

'You're a kid. You couldn't convince anyone to make such huge decisions. What are you even doing hunting? Your parents must be worried sick about you! Do they even know you're hunting, or do they think you ran away with your boyfriend?'

'We grew up in an orphanage. We used to hunt at the weekend, but Faith graduated early, and wanted to do it full time.' Dax said quietly, still gazing at Sam with borderline admiration. 'She's good, Sam.'

Sam gulped a mouthful of beer, rather than look at either teenager.

'So, what happened to your families?' He sounded a lot kinder now, to Dax. Although, of course, knowing Faith she'd dismiss it as Sam using The Pity Voice. The one where people realised that they were both orphans and only really had each other. She hated that voice.

'My family died in a house fire, the night I had a tantrum and ran away,' Dax stuttered through his explanation. 'I was eight. Faith was six, and already at the home. No one knows what happened to her parents, the story goes that they found her at the roadside, barely talking. The only words they got out of her when they did get her talking was Mom, Dad and Faith, so they figured it was her name.'

'I hate that story,' Faith sighed, dropping the machete on the bed and reaching out for a shining silver blade. But as her fingertips grazed the metal, she pulled away, and hugged her hand to her chest. The blade had hurt her just to touch it. She looked around at the others in the room, and knew by the look Sam was levelling at her that he'd noticed her reaction.

'Did you cut yourself?' He asked, eyebrows raised.

'Shit happens,' she tried to shrug it off.

'Well, if it makes you feel better, a demon killed my mom when I was a baby. Took my dad twenty-three years later.'

'And it was okay for you to grow up hunting?' Faith shot back.

'I didn't have a choice. My dad made me, and Dean. I tried to get out, so many times, but I kept getting dragged back in. Trust me Faith, there's a world out there beyond hunting.'

'Maybe I don't have a choice either.' Faith snapped back. Sam opened his mouth to argue with her, but she shouted over him. 'You don't know anything, okay? You don't know jack. So hows about you stop with the Grandpa advice and just trust that I can do this. I'm good, real good, and if this case was up to me, it'd be solved right now!'

'And how many angels would be covering your tracks?' Sam's voice was low, challenging, and Faith stormed the length of the room, jerking the door open and stomping out. Dax watched her go, then sank in her seat.

'She's been moody all day, don't take it personally.' He stood up slowly, sketching a wave at Sam and Krissy. 'See you in the morning, I guess. Maybe she just needs to sleep on it?'

'Dax?' Sam spoke up as Dax inched his way to the door. 'Tell her that, unless she's willing to be completely professional tomorrow, she can forget this case. She might think that she's a maverick, or she's got impeccable skills, but Krissy's told me enough about her to make me concerned that she'll compromise this. I know you're the voice of reason for her, so could you do that please? Reason with her?'

Dax nodded, feeling as though he'd been scalded by the elder hunter, and followed his girlfriend out of the motel room.

*

Dax had passed on Sam's message, trying to soften the blow. Faith hadn't responded at all, but had crawled into his bed after her shower, snuggling close and twirling a finger in his hair like she used to as a kid. He'd fallen asleep thinking that things were going to be better in the morning. He'd forgotten how little Faith actually slept.

He'd felt things were amiss as he came around, trying to figure out what was different from the night before. And then he realised that Faith was no longer in bed. He jumped out of the covers, looking through all their things. Faith had taken her favourite weapons, and her salt and lighter. Dax had a note on top of his jeans, a hastily scrawled "sorry". Sam was right, Faith was far too impulsive. Dax climbed into his best slacks and a button down, topping the look off with a bow tie, before grabbing the room keys and dashing over to Sam and Krissy's room, his breathing beginning to grow erratic.

'Dax! Down here!' Krissy's voice called up from the parking lot. She was standing beside a sleek black car that Dax instantly fell in love with. He ran down the steps and over to the car, grabbing his chest as he pulled an inhaler out of his pocket. Of all the days for Faith to give him an asthma attack!

'Are you okay, kid?' Sam asked as Dax sucked in the air from the inhaler. Dax nodded, waiting for the air to kick in so he could reply. Sam and Krissy waited patiently for his breathing to slow down.

'Faith's gone already.' He finally gasped out, his eyes scanning the parking lot for the camper van. It was still there, looking a little run down as it was sandwiched between a sedan and an SUV. 'She hasn't taken the car.'

'Well, she couldn't have gone far,' Sam said kindly.

'You don't know Faith!' Dax blurted, sucking more air down from the inhaler. 'She's pissed off and she knows where to go. She just  _knows_  this sort of thing, okay? She'll be there already, trying to solve it before we get there to prove a point!'

Sam looked at him appraisingly again, before nodding at the car.

'Get in. We'll shag ass to get there, okay? We'll get there before she screws up.'

Dax nodded, and dived in the backseat as Krissy and Sam got in the front.

'Is this the Impala? The car?' Dax asked as Sam put it into drive.

'Yep, my brother's Baby. So don't fuck it up, or he'll kill me.'

Dax nodded, stroking the leather lining on the seat next to his, and finally calming down.

Luckily, the factory wasn't too far from the motel, so they didn't have too far to travel, but it meant Sam talked quickly for the entire journey, formulating a plan to solve the problems and try to get Faith out safely. Dax tried to follow his part of the plan, while Sam discussed strategy with Krissy. As far as Dax could tell, Sam was putting it upon himself to keep Faith safe, and relying on Krissy to solve the mystery. Dax was more or less relegated to being watchman, keeping an eye out for any problems and making sure they were aware. Sam gave him a cell number and a few code words, just in case, and Dax was impressed with his efficiency, as well as how accurate the books were for details like this. He was getting the opportunity to use  _Funky Town_. He had Sam Winchester's cell number!

They parked up the Impala, and grabbed some of the many tools in the back of the Impala before heading into the derelict building. Dax stopped just inside the door, looking up and seeing Faith on a ledge, sprinkling salt onto something he couldn't see. Sam and Krissy looked up too, all three of them wincing as it looked like Faith was going to fall. She didn't, but Krissy was already running towards a nearby staircase, just in case she did need to help out. Sam was still watching Faith's invisible fight, as was Dax, and they both witnessed Faith jump gracefully to an even higher ledge, easily twelve feet above where she had been previously.

'Dax? What is your girlfriend?' Sam asked quietly. Dax didn't understand the question at first, but then he began to realise what was going on in Sam's head. He clearly thought Faith was some kind of monster. He was lining up to hunt Faith next. All Dax could do was bluff his way out.

'A gemini, I think. They gave her a July birthday, because they didn't know when hers was.'

Sam looked around at him quickly, but didn't mention it further. And Dax knew that he was going to have to make sure, after this case, that he and Faith never crossed Sam's path again.


	4. Chapter 4

Faith was lost in what she was doing, chasing the vengeful ghosts as they reluctantly retreated from her, climbing higher and higher in the broken down factory as they panicked. She hadn't questioned why a new building could look quite so forlorn, though she fully suspected it was the handiwork of the ghosts. She hadn't questioned anything, until she heard Krissy calling from nearby.

'Faith! Come back, you'll get yourself killed!'

She knew Dax would work out what she'd done when he woke up. She hadn't expected him to rat her out to Krissy. With Krissy calling her back to reality, she realised she was several stories up in the factory, balancing on a small wooden plank that served as a plinth over a huge void. How long had everyone been watching her? Had Sam finally listened, and let her get on with the task of actually vanquishing the ghosts, to hell with his endless reading? Or was this some kind of test she was failing? She faked caution as she turned around, looking down at the first floor, where Sam was standing not far in front of Dax. She would never admit to Sam, whose thoughts were so loud in her head, that she could read their expressions perfectly well from her position. Dax was scared, but Sam was pensive. She could hear his judgement behind his poker face.

_I wish I had my book with me, just to look up what she is. She reminds me so much of … but it can't be. Can it? I need to run this by Dean, but he'd freak out if I mentioned her again. Maybe I should talk to Cas about it some time. Either way, I need to keep an eye on her. She's got no idea what kind of danger she's in. Unless she's reading my thoughts, maybe?_

She forced her face to remain neutral, like Sam had the night before. How did he know? How could he possibly know she could read minds? Had Dax said something? She hated how much she was questioning everything. She hadn't been this self-conscious since she was first in the orphanage, back before she had to grow a spine and stand up for herself. She listened in to Dax quickly.

_Faith, come on, get stuck. Get stuck and need help. Don't be so pig-headed and Mary-Sue that you dig us in deeper. I get the feeling this guy will be harder to con. And Krissy won't forget it. Let the guy take on the ghosts. Come on!_

She took a deep breath, and then called down.

'Can I get some help? I'm stuck!

Sam's face puckered.

'You got yourself up there!' Sam called back, and turned around, heading passed Dax to the door and leaving the building. Krissy looked between Faith and Dax, before hurrying down the staircase and following Sam out. Faith cocked an ear to the wall, and Dax knew she was listening for their footsteps.

'Do I have to help you down?' Dax eventually called up.

'Are you mad at me?' She called back.

'No. I just want to go.' Dax folded his arms, waiting to see what genius solution Faith was going to come up with for their predicament. They both knew she could easily step off her ledge and drop gracefully to the ground without much energy or fear. It wouldn't be the first time she'd had to jump from a great height after all. But they seemed to have the same mutual understanding of the threat that came with Sam Winchester. No wonder Krissy called him one of the best, although Faith herself had to admit she'd been sloppy, exposing her abilities the way she had. 'Are all the ghosts gone?'

'Yeah. I know how I'm going to get down!' She suddenly declared, as the thought occurred to her. She knew he wouldn't be happy about being summoned - he rarely was, preferring to drop in on them unannounced - but she knew the angel had a soft spot for her. 'Gabriel? Gabriel, it's me, it's Faith. I need your help!'

Gabriel appeared in front of her, sucking on a sucker and raising an eyebrow as he casually looked down to the ground.

'I don't see the problem here, Faith. Remember when you cleared the Grand Canyon six months ago?'

'It's not the jump, it's that guy out there. Sam Winchester? I think he wants to hunt me.'

Gabriel peered through a broken window with interest.

'I thought those yahoos had retired from active service! Is Deano there? Castiel would be very interested to see that.'

Faith still wasn't over her mood about Castiel's input from the day before.

'Gabriel, please!'

'Oh, Faith, just let me mess with Moose. Please? I haven't done that in forever. And Cassie will let me, if I don't mess with Dean again.'

'Do whatever you want, Gabe, so long as you get me back down on the ground.' She pleaded with him. Gabriel sighed, and placed an arm gently around her waist, clicking the fingers on his spare hand and transporting them down to Dax as Sam walked back in, his eyes locking immediately on Gabriel.

'Gabriel? I thought you were dead?'

'Well, you know, Cassie becomes God's favourite angel, gets to rule Heaven for Daddio, he gets to pull certain strings. Like mine. And the only trade off is keeping these two out of the trouble they constantly find themselves in.'

'Why?' Sam demanded, and Gabriel smirked.

'Like I'd tell you that, you slimy SOB. Why're you working a job anyway? I thought you were becoming the next Salinger or something.'

'No, I'm writing a definitive guide on hunting, I just agreed to give Krissy some help. Problem?'

Gabriel shook his head, swirling his sucker around his mouth.

'Faith, Dax, feel free to leave. I want to talk to Sammy a second. Cool?'

Faith opened her mouth to insist on being part of the conversation, but Dax pulled on her arm instead.

'Great idea, Gabriel. And thanks for getting Faith down. See you around. Come on Faith, we'd better check out of the motel.'

Dax dragged Faith out of the factory doors and started walking down the road, his grip still tight on Faith's arm.

'We're in deep shit. We're in such deep shit. How did this happen? It was meant to be an easy hunting job, and now we're running for our lives!' Dax began panicking.

'Dax, shut up,' Faith growled tightly. He was expressing all her worries, making them seem worse as he vocalised them. And there were other things she wanted to address. Namely, how all of a sudden, everyone in their lives seemed to be connected. Krissy was friends with a guy who knew Gabriel? They both knew this mysterious Castiel? She was beginning to have some huge misgivings about the life they were trying to carve for themselves, or at least, misgivings about everything she had previously known. Did Gabriel know the truth about her past? Did the enigmatic Castiel? If she had stuck around, admitted to Sam everything she could do - even the stuff Dax didn't know - could he have helped her, rather than hunted her? Was that what his thoughts had meant?

She heard Dax sigh beside her, and could hear him thinking that she was in a mood again, but that wasn't true. She was just over thinking everything. Like, what if there was a name for what she was, some reasonable explanation for why she could mess with people's heads, alter other people's realities, and jump so far she practically flew? What if it meant that she was a monster? What if she was actually a suck-ass hunter and just got by on the fact that she had these special monster powers?

Faith barely registered that they were back at the motel, even as Dax charged up the steps and began packing all of their belongings hastily back into their duffel bags. She stood in the doorway, not focusing on anything, going through the motions as Dax grabbed her arm and dragged her back down the steps, handing her the bags and car keys and running over to the reception to check out while she packed up and warmed up the car. All that really went in was the fact that Dax's haste was a clear indication that he too, knew Sam was a threat. Faith was glad, at least, that Gabriel had some kind of agenda with Sam which would buy them some time to get away. She was more grateful than ever to her guardian angel.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sorry for this chapter.

The bunker was kept in a perpetual state of darkness, only a few lamps lighting the rooms still occupied. The ground was littered with empty glass bottles of varying sizes and colourations, all proclaiming that they had once contained some form of alcoholic substance on their labels.

Dean liked the half-light. It took away the edge from his hangover. It mirrored the way he felt inside, the bleak surreal reality that had surrounded him since Siobhan had died, since he'd given up hunting … since Castiel had left.

It had happened slowly. At first, they'd tried to make a go of it, tried to help each other through the pain of losing their daughter. And there was a hollow comfort in knowing someone else knew exactly how bad it was to lose someone so precious. But then Dean couldn't help notice the similarities between Castiel and Siobhan. It started with the eyes, that sharp blue of Castiel's eyes that matched her left one so perfectly. The fact that they shared the same mouth, a similar nose. Then it went beyond the physical. Castiel's sweet nature was something that Dean had noticed in Siobhan, and the serious way they approached things. He had known Castiel was struggling with the same things, Siobhan had Dean's hair colour and complexion and her right eye was was the same shade of green as his. And Siobhan probably acted like Dean sometimes too, he guessed, but Castiel had never vocalised the similarities between them. Maybe it was the human aspect of her nature that made it difficult for Castiel. That was as far as Dean had managed to think before he would smash yet another bottle against a wall.

It had been tough, yes, but they had still been trying, still working together to not wallow in pity the way Dean was lately. And then he came back. God. He returned to Heaven, or the Cosmos, or however that even worked. And the first thing God did was request Castiel. Castiel had dropped everything, had dropped  _Dean_  for the chance to see his father. And now Castiel was the favoured angel, the second in command, God's right-hand man. And Dean had no idea why.

It wasn't that they never saw each other. It was that Castiel suddenly had a thousand things to do, and he wouldn't talk to Dean about any of it. They were more strained than ever. Most of their contact came through Dean's prayers, which increasingly only happened when he was very drunk. It was like drunk dialling an angel without the option of hanging up halfway through.

Technically, they were still together. Technically, they were still going to make good on their promise to one another. Technically, they considered themselves a couple. But it had been nearly eight months since Castiel had last visited the bunker, and even then the visit was too brief though at the time, it seemed to drag. There were too many reminders, too much between them. Castiel had clearly decided Dean was too drunk to function on a rational level, and instead had spent the entire hour he was there holding Dean's limp hand in his half-conscious state and talked with Sam over the book Sam was developing, and how he could put into order the sections within it. Dean had barely managed to keep his eyes open, and it was at the hour mark that he'd finally succumbed to his drunken doze. He'd woken up, hours later, with a mouth that tasted like vomit, and Sam's voice jarring in his head as Dean was informed that Castiel had left not long after he began snoring.

His drunk-dial prayers were pretty similar to each other. It always began sometime into the second drinking hour of the evening, when his head was beginning to dip into his chest of its own will.

'Cas, Cas you bastard … where are you? Why aren't you here? Why don't you love me any more, Cas? Cas you son of a bitch, I need you, okay? I don't need you to save my ass or solve my problems, I need you because I need you. I need you Cas. I lost her, you dick, why'd I have to lose you too? Or are you just being a douchebag because I'm so fucking pathetic, huh? Is that it? You only liked me when I could be bothered to hunt? When I was just broken enough to function, right? What are you waiting for, you son of a bitch? Do you want me to kill myself, huh? Is she there? Is she dealt into this, too? Are you holding out on me? CAS YOU SON OF A FUCKING BITCH, ARE YOU HOLDING OUT ON ME?'

That was the point, every time, where Dean would break down into sobs so affected that his entire body shook with the efforts until he finally dozed off. He knew he was pathetic, he knew he was putting too much onto Castiel, and onto Sam who had been forced to adopt the role of taking care of him. Dean knew how low he had sunk, and yet he couldn't pull himself out of the routine, out of the drunken stupor.

The only reason he was even still trying was because of the new batch of hunters who relied on Sam and himself the way the brothers had relied on Bobby. Hunters like Krissy, who called him her phone guy. But even she knew that Dean would never be in a fit state to go out on the field, even if he wanted to. One look at his sallow grey skin, permanently bloodshot eyes and the huge bags underneath them and everyone would know he was a complete drunk, not a high-standing member of the FBI. The only expectation ever placed on him these days were that he didn't start drinking before office hours closed, so he couldn't slur his words down the phone. Staying sober through the day was his biggest challenge, but he'd worked out a system. If he could be professional for one call, he drank beer until he reached his stupor. If he managed it for five, he got vodka. For ten, he got a decent enough bourbon to drown his sorrows, but the golden days he managed twenty or more, he rewarded his efforts by blanking out to single malt whiskey. Even the completely inebriated worked best to a reward system. Single malt was his gold star for a job well done. Beer was his participation trophy.

Most days, he got beer. Very occasionally, he got the vodka. It had been maybe seven weeks since he'd earned his way to the champagne of the spirits world. He was sure Sam had noticed his system, because the cupboards in the kitchen were stocked accordingly. Sam never bitched at him for his continual alcohol abuse, except on the days the phone didn't ring, and Dean tried to drink anyway. Those were the most painful days, the days he found himself sobbing and shaking as he clung tightly to Sam, begging for just one, just to take the edge off. If Sam ever wished for days in a row without some young hunter calling for cover just so Dean wasn't so dependent on the crutch, he never expressed it to Dean.

Since Sam had gone to help Krissy, the phone had been silent. Dean had gone to the beer shelf every day so far, grabbing a bottle and squinting at it with his hang-dog expression. And every day, just to get through, he pretended Sam was still there, coaxing him to put the bottle down, there was still time for the phone to ring. There was still a chance to earn it, huh buddy? Sometimes, he imagined Siobhan there, her wings showing but not in use, quirking her head the same way Castiel did, her mis-matched eyes wide as she lisped her way through her speech.

'Don't drink that juice, Daddy. It doesn't taste good. It makes Mommy worried. We could play a game instead? Play a game with me, Daddy! We could play with the Barbies! Bear wants to as well!'

And he'd slump against the wall, gripping his head, trying to fight the images that seemed so vivid. He was sure he could reach out and scoop his daughter into his arms.

The biggest problem was, they'd never gotten closure. They had never found more than Bear's arm. The other angels had disappeared before they'd gone outside, and Castiel had never admitted who had been in the attack, if he'd ever found out. They'd had a service for her, but without a proper hunter's funeral, Dean wasn't sure how to begin to let go.

He was having another moment of imagining his daughter telling him off for drinking, of gripping his head and simultaneously wishing the vision would go, and that it would never end and he wouldn't lose her again, when he thought he heard someone knocking on the door of the bunker. He glared in the direction of the door, as though he could see it through the walls and personally held it responsible for losing Siobhan this time around. Somehow, he managed to pull himself to his feet, dragging them through the loose bottle on the floor as he slouched his way up to the front door. He pulled it open, squinting and groaning and raising a forearm to his face as the bright sunlight burnt his retinas.

'So, the angels weren't lying,' a chirpy voice sang, much too loudly for Dean's liking. It was a familiar voice, safe, a voice he missed. He slowly blinked, lowering his arm cautiously, and squinted at the redhead in front of him. 'Hey Deano, are you okay? Sober, right?'

'Unfortunately,' he grouched, as she surged forward and pulled him into an embrace. 'Hey, Charlie.'

'Hey girlfriend. Let's get you cleaned up and sorted out. You stink of booze and BO.'

Dean growled ineffectively, as Charlie hesitantly placed an arm around him and walked with him into the bunker.

'So, I just got saved by these two kids after a skin walker nearly killed me. And, craziest thing, they reminded me of you and your brother. I mean, back when we first met, not right now.'

Charlie gave him the once-over, and then smiled weakly.

'We'll get you showered and dressed, and then we'll have a talk in our PJ's over some chick-flick and a big tub of popcorn, right?'

'I don't need your pity, Charlie.' Dean moaned. She hugged him tightly.

'I know, girlfriend, but the angels wanted me to talk to you. And Sam called me on my way over, he wants me to talk to you too.'

'I'm sick of talking.' Dean grunted. 'There's no problem here.'

Charlie looked around at her surroundings, her nose wrinkling at the smell of stale alcohol, stale air and the sting of sweat which threatened to overpower her. She tried to go gently with Dean.

'It's not because they think you're a problem, Dean, although that smell is. They have news for you, and Sam wants a favour. Just a little research, but I need to explain the news from the angels, and tell you the skin walker story, before Sam's request makes sense. Sam also said, if you sit through it all, you can have this.'

She pulled from a pocket a bottle of scotch. Dean made to grab for it, and she held it out of his reach, thankful that his attempts to get it were fleeting and feeble.

'Only when you're done with Sam's favour. Which you'll only do after the story. But first, we're going to get you washed and in clean clothes, and work on that smell.'

Dean stared at the bottle for a moment, and knew how disgusting he was as he nodded, agreeing to any and all of Charlie's terms, just for the promise of booze. He let her lead him into the bathroom, and was docile as she removed his clothes slowly, gently, and lowered him into the tub, starting the shower and removing the head so she could wash off the ingrained dirt from his skin. There was nothing erotic in it, instead, Dean felt like a baby being bathed, and he soon broke down in tears once again, echoes of Siobhan's baths crowding his mind. Charlie said nothing as she wiped at his skin with a soapy sponge, circling it over his back to wash him and soothe him.

_'Daddy, I got bubbles?' Siobhan looked up at him, beaming. Dean couldn't help but smile back._

_'Sure, kid, bubbles. You like bubbles?' He chuckled as she jumped into the bath, her tan, unblemished skin submerging quickly as her little hands dived into the froth._

_'Oh, yes! Daddy, look! I've got a bubble beard!'_

_'Are you going to shave it off?' He teased her, and she blinked up at him._

_'How do I do that?' She seemed genuinely perplexed, her head cocking to the side as Castiel's did in his curiousity. Dean had wondered before, and wondered again now, if she had learned the behaviour from watching her mother or if it was something in her. But he put the query to the back of his mind as he scooped up some bubbles from the water surface, putting them on his own face, and crooking a finger out in front of him._

_'Like this, sweetie. With a razor finger.' And she had mirrored him as they "shaved" their faces clean._

_'Daddy?' She grinned mishcieviously. 'Are you hungry?'_

_'Yeah, sure, I could eat.'_

_'Want a sandwich?'_

_'Sounds yummy.'_

_Her hands moved quickly scooping more bubbles and sandwiching them between her hands before she clapped them together in his face and giggled._

_'CROCODILE SANDWICH!' She laughed. He scooped some of the bubbles that had landed on his face and stuck them on her nose, laughing too, and pulling her into a hug so she knew he appreciated the joke. Sure, her damp little body was going to soak through his shirt, but he couldn't care about that._

_'Five more minutes play, and then we gotta wash your hair, okay?' He let her know, and she nodded, her fingers beginning to scoop through the bubbles again._

_'Lets build a bubble castle for the bubble princess!'_

He barely registered Charlie standing him up, wrapping a towel around him awkwardly, encouraging him to step out of the tub and walk through to his room. He only seemed to come to as they settled in the television room, Carlie wrapping him in a blanket as he sat on the sofa in thick plaid pyjamas, chattering about hot chocolate. He nodded, wondering if there was a way to Irish his up, letting her walk into the kitchen again before dipping his hands into the folds between the sofa cushions, sure that a small flask would miraculously appear. He was sure he was going to need it after this conversation with Charlie.


	6. Chapter 6

Dax and Faith had driven for hours, their choices were erratic as they tried to put as much distance between themselves, and Sam and Krissy as was possible. They had only stopped to swap over driving duties and for Dax to pee in the middle of some woodland. It had been hours, but they were both still checking in the rearview mirror, just in case they were being followed suddenly by the sleep black-and-chrome lines of the vintage Impala.

Night was beginning to fall, just as the camper van slowed to a croaky halt. Faith had been curled up in the passenger seat, snoozing, but stirred as the van stopped moving.

'Dax? She said, her voice thick with sleep.

'I think the odometer's busted. It said we still had a couple of bars, but we must've been on fumes for the last couple miles. We should open out the back and sleep here tonight.' He squinted through the darkness at the dirt road ahead of them. 'I'm sure it'll be fine.'

Faith sat up a little, blinking.

'No. I've got a bad feeling about this place. We should take some supplies, head to the nearest town, find somewhere to sleep for the night.'

'What do you mean, a bad feeling about this place? Is that normally an excuse to go hunting with you?'

'Not tonight, Dax.'

He didn't argue further, knowing that she would just clam up if he did push it. Obviously, he considered, Faith was feeling bad about what had happened in Mississippi.

'Where are we?' She asked, squinting out at the non-descript hillside through the half-light of the evening.

'Um, Kansas. Not far from Lebanon, I think? So there's plenty of places we can go if you really want to leave the van. It should be okay out here, right? I don't think there's anyone around for miles.'

As Dax spoke, a doorway opened up in the hillside just up the road from them. From their position, they could see the yellow glow of the inside of the building spilling out of the open doorway, a the tiny figure walking out, and dumping a small square … something on the floor before walking out again.

'We could ask them if we could stay? It's better than trying to get to town while night falls. Who knows how long we'll be walking in the dark? And that never goes well.'

'I don't want to. I've got a bad feeling about that place.'

'Yeah well, I don't think we have an option. We'll knock, ask if we can just sleep for the night, don't even need to eat. Please, Faith? It's right there.'

Faith sighed heavily, knowing Dax wouldn't leave it alone. And the area was creepy, maybe if they could stop in the place built into the hill, they didn't need to trudge around in the woods all night. Every hunting instinct in Faith screamed out about how bad an idea that would be.

'Fine. One night. But I'm not going in naked, and we don't let whoever lives there give us any bullshit.'

She climbed into the back and started hauling out her shotgun, hand gun, machete, ammunition, salt packet, lighter fluid, matches and a flick-lighter, flashlight and a short leather jacket. She threw a beige corduroy one at Dax, and passed him another blade.

'You want a gun?'

'I don't think that'll be necessary, Faith.' He tried to point out. She looked at him for a moment, and then passed him a revolver.

'And that's a good way to get yourself killed, dumbass.'

'Do you have to insult me?'

'We're doing what you want, aren't we?'

He pressed his lips together tightly, but knew there was no point in arguing further. Obviously, Faith's fear was coming out in the wrong kind of sentiment, and Dax knew the best way to avoid her insulting him further was to just dodge the bullet and leave it the hell alone. He climbed out of the camper first, offering her his arm so she knew he wasn't mad at her, and she took it with an air of indifference, though her fingernails dug into his arm and Dax knew she was petrified to be out, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, about to ask a stranger to stay in their hillside place. Of course, Faith had way too much pride to ever admit she was afraid of anything, but Dax had known her for far too long to buy that level of grade A manure.

The hurried over to the hillside, where the door had closed, stepping quickly while there was still just enough light to see by. The door opened again just as they were ten feet away, and the woman who stood there, arms full of a huge box of glass, stared at them in amazement, lowering the cardboard and letting the clinking of the bottles disrupt the silence. Faith wanted to groan loudly as Dax pushed his fringe out of his eyes.

'No freaking way! What are the odds!' The woman grinned.

'Fuck.' Faith muttered, as Dax stepped forward.

'Charlie? Skin walker Charlie?'

'No, human Charlie. Faith saw to the skin walker version of me. So what are you doing here?'

'Ran out of gas. You couldn't hit us up for any, could you? And why the hell do you live in a hill?' Faith sulked as Dax helped move the box of bottles out of the way of the front door.

'Wow, clearing up after a party?' He commented. Charlie hesitated for a moment.

'Sort of. Look, this isn't my place, it's my friends. Maybe he has some gas you could use, I don't know. Um, look, come in for a sec, I'll see if he can do that, or give you a bed for the night. You look tired. Um, just a sec,' she dashed back inside, and Dax stepped forward into the doorway.

'Dax, what're you doing? This friend might tell us to fuck off.'

'Charlie's cool with us, and it's cold out there. Come on. You won't believe what this place looks like.'

Faith sighed, and stepped into the doorway, blinking at the change of lighting, and the scene before them. They were on a wrought iron platform, looking down at a huge room, lined with book cases, and tables spaced throughout for studying, doors leading out of the room at either end. Faith had an unreasonable urge to jump the safety rail and fly across the room, as Charlie came out from the far end corridor, beaming at them.

'Dean says it's okay!'

'This is Dean's place?' Faith said skeptically. 'The friend Dean you haven't seen in years? The one who was the best hunter ever? That Dean?'

'Yuh-huh. So, are you guys hungry? He said he'd cook.'

Dax began running down the steps towards Charlie, and Faith rolled her eyes, closing the door before sliding down the bannister and following Dax sullenly as he joined Charlie and walked with her to the kitchen. They were chatting about some geek topic or other Faith could never feign interest in with Dax, and she was staring around the hallways, feeling a strange sensation creeping up her back. There was something unsettling for her, about being in this underground building, with its retro-library feel, but Charlie and Dax seemed comfortable in the place. They turned into the kitchen, and Charlie rushed up to the guy at the stove, whose back was turned towards them. Dax sat at the table as though he'd lived in the place for years, and Faith hovered by the doorway, watching the body language of this man who was apparently letting two teenagers he'd never met before stay for the night. Faith was waiting for the moment the guy turned out to be some kind of axe murderer.

'So, Dean, these are the kids I was telling you about. Faith and Dax. Guys, this is Dean, he's like, hunter royalty.'

Dean's shoulders seemed to sag at Charlie's compliment, Faith noticed. Like he didn't think he was worthy of the praise. Dax leaned forward on the table, earnest to impress the man who refused to turn and look at them.

'It's an honour to meet you, sir. We're hunters ourselves. Well, more Faith than me, but still-'

'You like Mac and Cheese? I don't really have anything else.'

'That sounds delicious, sir.'

'Brown-noser,' Faith muttered. The man snorted with laughter, finally turning around to look at her.

'Isn't this guy your boyfriend?'

Faith glared at him.

'So?'

'Nothing,' Dean turned back to the stove, shaking his head and trying to keep his hand steady. He couldn't resist muttering to himself 'What a ball-buster.'

'Heard that.' Faith said obstinately. Dax turned in his seat, looking annoyed with Faith's bitterness.

'Faith, the guy's letting us into his house, giving us a decent meal, and maybe giving us some gas in the morning. And he's a freaking legend. Show some respect.'

'It reeks of booze in here.' Faith shrugged. Dean turned around again, levelling his red-eyed glare at her.

'Do you really want to get into it?' He glanced briefly at Dax. 'I know a little bit about cars, I can tune yours up before you go.'

He glared at Faith again, who raised her chin and glared back, surprised when Dean squinted at her for a second, then paled out and turned away, hurrying over to a cupboard by the ice box and reaching in for a beer.

'Uh-uh, I promised Sam,' Charlie sang out. 'And dude, do you know how long it took me to clear the others up?'

'Charlie,' Dean growled, but whatever else he was going to say, he left open to Charlie's interpretation. He didn't even put it into his thoughts, as far as Faith could tell.

'So, if I do this job long enough, am I going to be a crazy alcoholic too?' She blurted.

'Faith!' Dax sounded horrified, but Dean laughed, forcing himself to look around at her. It was a bitter, forced laugh, designed to drive the point home to the forth-right teenager.

'It's fine, Dax. Yeah, Faith, this is your future, if you're unlucky anyway. If you're lucky, you get to die before you need to block everything out. Still wanna hunt?'

'You ask like I have a choice,' Faith shrugged. Dean shrugged.

'You're a kid, you can't have pissed any demon off enough to be blacklisted, yet.'

'Is that what happened to you? You pissed off a demon?'

Dean laughed again, over-loudly, sarcastically.

'Sweetie, you couldn't begin to imagine the people I've pissed off.'

'Yeah, well, there's not much they can take from me, so bring it on.'

Dean glared at her.

'Say that to a demon, and enjoy watching it slowly torture your boyfriend.'

He turned back to the stove again, as Faith gave his back a filthy look.

'Can we just have some gas and we'll be on our way.'

'Nope. First, Sam wanted me to find out why the hell you screwed him over in Mississippi. He's still there, solving the case, but hey, I can still interrogate with the best of them. So sit down, shut up, eat your damn dinner and spill.'

Charlie chuckled, rolling her eyes at Faith.

'Believe it or not, kid, he likes you.'


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last one for now (there is more!) ... I feel like now I could write this chapter a heck of a lot better.

Dean waited until Faith and Dax had finished their food to start talking, pleased that neither teenager was giving him any more grief about the alcohol thing, even after Charlie begged off for the night. He'd watched them as they ate, Dax was prim and used both his knife and fork to eat, letting the noodles drip before raising the fork to his mouth, and glancing at Faith frequently as he chewed. Faith on the other hand, rested one arm on the table and stabbed at the noodles, head bent low as she chewed furiously, her entire focus on the dinner.

It wasn't the first time Dean had looked at her and been struck by the similarities between the girl in front of him and his Siobhan. He half expected her to use her free hand to shove the food on the fork, mess be damned; because the way she sat, the way she devoured the Mac and Cheese, it all echoed Siobhan the first time she'd tried it. Sam had joked at the time that she'd almost bitten his fingers off when he handed her the plate. It had been her favourite meal.

There were obvious differences between the girl in his memory and the girl in front of him, beyond the fact that Siobhan had stopped growing in his memory, and Faith was nearly an adult. Faith's hair was darker than he remembered Siobhan's being, her complexion slightly lighter. But mostly, when her eyes flicked up and met his, he noticed they were a dull brown colour. He'd been banking on seeing her blue-and-green eyes, having the world fall away as he realised she was in front of him, alive and well and about to get the biggest lecture of her life about having a boyfriend. Her eyes had killed that hope.

But she still reminded him so strongly of his kid, and of Castiel! The way she jutted her chin out earlier with her sense of self-righteousness, he'd seen Siobhan copy Castiel when he did that a hundred times. The way she tilted her head as she considered something, the way she smiled without realising, a smile just like Castiel's. How could it be anyone else?

Maybe his head was completely messed up from the constant boozing. Maybe it was wishful thinking.

'Are you done?' He broke the silence, as Faith raised the plate, licking the sauce off. She carried on beligerantly, and Dax sighed.

'Yeah, we are. Faith, were you raised in a barn?'

She lowered the plate and rolled her eyes.

'You know I think that's a compliment to the orphanage.'

'You grew up in an orphanage?' Dean checked. They nodded in unison, and Dean found himself hoping again. Maybe in the explosion, Siobhan's eyes changed colour? Maybe it messed with her head too, because there was no hint of recognition in her expression. 'Where?'

'Michigan,' they answered together. Dean sighed. Maybe not then, Michigan was hardly around the corner.

'What happened to your parents?'

Dax explained about his parents dying in a house fire, and Dean kept his eyes on Faith, on the way she fidgeted through Dax's explanation. Dean wasn't as rusty as he had thought he was, because he knew that she was reacting to Dax's words. He was pretty sure she knew a different story for Dax's family.

'And you?' Dean shot out as soon as Dax finished speaking, his stare making it clear he wanted Faith's story more. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dax frowning, a little put out, but Dean didn't care. He wanted her story, he wanted to hear exactly what happened to Siobhan, but Faith shrugged.

'I don't know. No one really does. All I know is that they found me wandering around the streets, and all I would say about was my Mommy and Daddy, and my name.' She tapped the table. 'So is that it? Is the interogation done?'

'Wait, so you were just wandering, and they didn't try and find your parents?' Dean pressed. Nothing Faith was saying added up. She rolled her eyes.

'I spent the night at a police cell, in custody, waiting for them to come look for me, report me missing, and then they took me to the orphanage. But I don't remember anything until Dax moved in.'

Dean continued staring at her, watching her fidget in her chair. Definitely lying.

'So, what is this place?' She asked before he could probe further. 'And why is it carved into the hill?'

Dean couldn't help but smirk at that. Okay, so she may look at him the way Castiel did, but when she opened her mouth it was like he heard himself. How could it not be her? In which case, why not show off about her legacy?

'It's the Men Of Letter's bunker. My grandfather was one of the last active Men of Letters. My brother and I are legacies.'

'Is that a good thing?' Faith blinked.

'Yeah, they were like, the nerds of the hunting world. They never did field work, but they knew everything there was to know about unnatural beings. Anything you wanna know is here. Almost everything.'

Faith grinned at Dax.

'Look, we landed in nerd heaven!'

'Can I look around at the material?' Dax asked Dean excitedly. Dean barely tore his eyes from Faith.

'Yeah, knock yourself out.'

Dax stood up, making sure to press a kiss to Faith's temple before leaving the room. Dean raised an eyebrow but said nothing until he was alone in the room with Faith.

'So, what really happened to Dax's family? And cut the shit.'

'Vampires,' She said quickly, in a low voice. 'They were in the neighbourhood, I was tracking them. Went in this gorgeous house and there's two of the nest, snacking on his parents, and another one creeping up the stairs for him and his older brother. I killed the two working on his parents, but his folks died anyway. I couldn't do anything to save them. I followed the one upstairs, and got it as it was throwing his brother's lifeless body away, eyeing him up already. Then I ran outside with him, lied to his face and he believed me. He thought I was a nice kid from the neighbourhood orphanage who'd been telling him it wasn't good to run away. And when we got back to the house it was on fire.'

'Wait, how old were you?' Dean blurted.

'Six.'

'You hunted a vampire nest when you were  _six_?'

She shrugged, playing with her fork, twisting it between her fingers and no longer looking at him.

'Shiv-Faith, that sucks. Wait, did you place a false memory in his head?'

'It's not the first time, it's not the last time. For me, it's just the longest time.'

She placed the fork on her plate and pushed them away, folding her arms on the table and resting her chin where they met.

'What else can you do? And don't bullshit me, my brother saw you jump at least twelve feet in the air. Krissy's seen you fix a broken leg by touching it. And apparently, you can hunt a vampire nest alone at six years old. What are you?'

She sighed, and looked up at him.

'Not much else. I've just got good reflexes and a quick-working brain. I'm a girl, that's all.'

'I told you to cut the shit.' Dean growled at her. 'Because Sam and I, we've dealt with all kinds of monsters. You think we haven't come across someone like you before?'

He pushed away from the table, and went into the cupboard, grabbing two beers and bringing them back, cracking them at the table and passing one to Faith.

'Okay, let's try it this way. When was the last time you spread your wings?'

'Wings?' She laughed.

'Yeah, wings. Like you're  _not_  nephilim. You got telekenesis too? Can you manipulate other people's visions? Bring things to life?'

She stared at him around the beer bottle.

'How did you-'

'I just do.'

He was so sure it was her.

'So, I'm nephilim?' She asked, reaching out for the beer bottle and pulling it to her quickly as though she was sure he was going to change his mind about allowing her to drink underage. 'What's a nephilim?'

He sighed, and tipped back his own beer. Where was Castiel when you needed him?

'Never mind.'

* * *

That night, after Dean had pointed Charlie, Dax and Faith into their own rooms and gone to bed himself - fairly sober, for once - Dean was woken by a sudden weight pressing on his side, and a hand clasped over his mouth.

'Dean, it's me,' the weight whispered in the dark. Dean's heart leapt in his chest as he slowly moved the hand away.

'Cas?' He whispered, kissing the fingertips that had just been pressed against his mouth. Castiel bestowed a swift kiss to his nose.

'Yes, it's me. You're sober?'

'Yeah. Hey.'

Dean pulled on Castiel's tie, bringing the angel closer to him. And Castiel allowed it to happen, and his lips met Dean's with the same enthusiasm Dean had been craving for months, maybe even years. Dean's fingers played with the tie as Castiel braced himself over Dean, his vessel inching slowly over Dean's body, his mouth pressing harder onto Dean's as their tongues slid together. Dean groaned, grabbing Castiel around his chest and pulling him closer, their bodies crashing together as their kiss intensified, and Dean was aware of Castiel's hand sliding between them, wriggling slightly as he undid his shirt, and Dean worked to loosen the tie, allowing Castiel to pull away as he shrugged the shirt off of him.

'I thought you stopped loving me,' Dean whispered.

'Never, Dean. Never.' Castiel promised, latching onto Dean's neck as Dean bucked underneath him. He was more than ready for Castiel.

'So, why's God let you bust out of Heaven for the night, hmmm?' Dean croaked as Castiel added teeth to the patch of neck he was concentrating on. Dean was sure to have a hickey, right under his jawline for the entire world to see the next morning, but he didn't care. He'd been wanting this for too damn long. He groaned loudly again as Castiel nibbled along his chin, arching his back and grinding his groin up into Castiel.

'I'm combining work with pleasure here, Dean,' Castiel confessed, lips pressed to Dean's ear as he spoke, his nose nuzzling into the short spikes of Dean's hair.

'Are you calling me work?' Dean smirked, his fingers trailing up Castiel's now-bare back and into his scruffy black hair, which he tugged gently.

'Mmm, hard work.' Castiel breathed, beginning to kiss down Dean's chest, tiny little kisses that barely skimmed over his skin and left Dean desperate for more.

The door creaked open, and Dean's eyes widened as he saw the silhouette of the short person in the doorway. He plunged both hands under his blankets, trying to halt Castiel's progress despite wanting it so badly. The thought of Castiel's mouth wrapped around him was almost enough for him to blow a load, already.

'Oh, God, sorry, I didn't realise, I'll go. Sorry.'

It was Faith. Dean sat up, made sure his underwear were still covering everything important up, and he wriggled his way out from under Castiel.

'Wait, Faith,' Dean sounded breathless, and he realised that even though he'd stopped Castiel, he was still standing to attention. He grabbed a nearby shirt and held it in place to make it easier for Faith to talk to him without feeling uncomfortable. 'Did you want to ask something?'

'Yeah, but it can wait, I just … I didn't know you and Charlie were that kind of friend.'

Up close, Dean noticed there was something different again about her face, though in the dark of his room, he couldn't pinpoint what it was.

'No, no, it's not Charlie. It's my um, yeah. Anyway. What did you want?'

'No, really,' she turned hesitantly. 'I should've realised, I mean, Dax and me, we haven't, but you're … nice to meet … you.'

Faith had waved to Castiel, who was climbing out of the blankets, her eyes widening as her words faltered, which happened when she realised that Dean's booty call was another man.

'Not judging!' She held up both hands.

'Faith, this is Castiel, Cas, this is Faith. The hunter.'

Castiel hurried across the room, no hesitation despite being caught in such an awkward position moments before. He stopped just before Faith, and allowed Dean to take his hand again.

'Faith Hope?'

She nodded, throwing Dean a dirty look as he sniggered at her name. When she turned back to Castiel, she looked annoyed. He ignored the look of mutiny.

'Faith, you are one of five children I've been asked to watch over. I have some questions for you.'

'You're Castiel?' She sneered. 'So, you order my friend Gabe around and suck this guy's dick and think I want to talk to you? I'm definitely out.'

She turned to walk away, and Castiel's face hardened.

'Faith, there are reasons why I'm watching you, there are reasons why I assigned Gabriel to you.'

'Is it some plan of God's?' she threw back over her shoulder.

'There was, at the time of your birth, one nephilim and four antichrist born. I'm to watch for any sign that you are either. If you're one of the options, you'll be back with your real family. If you're the other, you will be terminated.'

Faith turned slowly around.

'He says he thinks I am one.' She nodded at Dean.

'Dean?'

'She's got all the powers, man. She reminds me of her. It's just her eyes, they're the only wild card. They're brown.'

'Well, my contacts are,' Faith shrugged. 'I got sick of being called a freak for my eyes, so they let me get my contacts for my self-esteem. They don't match, it's weird.'

Dean squeezed Castiel's hand firmly, suddenly so sure of his earlier belief.

'Are they blue and green?'

Faith nodded slowly, looking suddenly worried.

'So what?'

'It's her.' Dean breathed.

'Her who?' Faith bit back, completely freaked out by Dean's sudden enthusiasm and Castiel's intensity.

'There's one more experiment we can try to be absolutely sure it is, Dean,' Castiel assured him, then detangled his hands from Dean's, approaching Faith and clasping both hands to her shoulder. 'If you're human, this will raise your temperature slightly. If you're an antichrist, it may kill you. But if you're a nephilim? This will work. And if you are, then … we have missed you so much, Faith.'

He reached over and kissed her forehead gently, completely unexpectedly, before his hands began to grow, and Faith began to scream, crumpling on the floor as Castiel did whatever he was doing. Dean watched, scared for the young girl in front of him who hadn't given her consent for Castiel to do this, but his fear soon turned to wonder as her skin began to glow and slowly, wings emerged from her back. Castiel didn't let go until they were fully out, extending across the hallway and shimmering in the light, and Faith was curled under them in a ball, mewing pitifully as tears tracked down her cheeks.

'When was the last time she used them?' Dean wondered aloud. 'That was like the first time when they were aching.'

'It may have been as long as the incident with Balthazar.'

'What did you do to me?' She sobbed from the floor. Dean laid on the floor so that his head was near hers, and he stroked her hair gently.

'It worked, okay? It worked. Faith, I know it's going to sound crazy, or maybe not, but … I'm your father, Faith. I'm your Dad, okay?' He pressed a kiss to her forehead as she continued whimpering in pain. 'Baby, we've missed you so much. I've thought about you every day. If we knew where to find you-'

'We searched everywhere for you. Heaven and Hell and Purgatory. Nothing worked until … it's not of import. You're home now.'

Faith managed, through the pain of her newly exposed wings, to shoot Castiel a filthy look.

'I hate you.' She promised, before looking at Dean. 'Dea-Dad? Can you help me go back to bed?'

Dean nodded, gently lifting her up, careful not to touch her wings, and supported her back to bed. He helped her get comfortable with the wings spread out, and tucked her in.

'Are you really my father?' She whispered.

'Yes.'

'Who's my mom?'

'Long story, Faith. We'll talk more in the morning.'

'Just you and me, right? Because Castiel's a dick.'

'Mmm. Just you and me. But Cas isn't so bad, trust me.' Dean sighed, and stroked her hair gently. 'I'll talk to him, okay? Try and get some sleep. And tell me what was bothering you in the morning.'

She nodded, and let him press another kiss to her forehead before he left the room, and nearly ran straight into Castiel's arms.

'Dean? She doesn't hate me, does she? Not after everything.'

'I'll find out what's going on in her head in the morning. Convince her around if she does think she means it. Just let her sleep for now, okay? Are you going to hang around?'

'Yes. For now, there's nowhere else I need to be.'

Dean smiled, the first real, genuine smile that connected with his eyes, in years.

'Good, because we have unfinished business.'

And he tugged Castiel with him, back to his bedroom, not letting go until the door was closed again and Dean was straddling Castiel on the bed, running his hands down Castiel's chest and his lips snatching kisses from Castiel's mouth as they slowly laid back on the bed.


	8. Chapter 8

Dean had barely slept all night. He couldn't. Everything felt like it was finally falling into place. His baby girl was home, and Castiel was back and affectionate again. He needed Sam home to celebrate properly, but he knew Sam was busy with Krissy, wherever they were.

He crept into Faith's room in the early morning, sitting on the stretch of mattress beside her head and watching as she slept, resisting the urge to stroke along her wings, and instead watching as she stirred in her sleep, her mouth slightly parted as she dozed. He fought the urge to lift the tendrils of hair from her face too, letting her enjoy the peace of her dreams before reality came by and slapped her in the face.

'Dean?' She eventually mumbled, stretching slightly as she blinked her eyes open. After a few moments, she shook her head and sighed. 'Sorry, Dad.'

'You can call me Dean if it's easier.' Dean didn't mean that, really. He wanted to hear her call him Dad again, but after fifteen long, painful years, he knew she might not. She might blame him for abandoning her, she might hate him with all the venom she seemed to have for Castiel. He wasn't going to make it harder for her, whatever he wanted.

'Did last night really happen?'

'Well, you're using your wings as blankets.'

She looked down, and lifted a wing tentatively, wincing as she did so.

'They're so stiff.'

'Yeah well, you've had them on lock down for years. They hurt the first time they showed up too. Cas did something to take the pain away last time.'

'But he won't this time?' Her voice hardened.

'He will, but you did tell him you hate him last night. That hurt him. I mean, he didn't say much about it, but I could tell he was crushed.'

'What's it to him, anyway?'

'You're part angel, Faith. Do the math.'

Faith frowned up at Dean, who had taken a sudden interest with the nearest patch of feathers to him.

'We're related. Great. He's an asshole.'

'Agreed, but he's a good asshole.' Dean sighed. 'And he cares okay? He's less of a dickbag than most angels.'

'He's not as great as Gabriel.'

'Have him kill you a thousand times on a Tuesday, see if you like that dickbag still.'

'Dad, Gabe's brilliant. He's funny and he's smart and he never bullshits me. But Castiel has spent like, my entire life sending orders through Gabe and acting like a total tool.'

Dean's gaze shifted, and he stared hard at Faith.

'Castiel's been in your life? Your entire life? Like, everything you remember?'

'No. Gabe showed up not long after Dax's house, and he told me he was my guardian angel. He told me about Castiel sending him to watch me. My whole life might be an exaggeration, but it's definitely been ten years. And yesterday was the first time we met, and he pulled these stupid things out of me.'

She gestured to her wings, and flopped back on her pillows, as Dean tried to do the mental maths, working out when Castiel first started leaving, reporting that God had returned and he was enlisting Castiel in his masterplan. When Dean's alcoholism had hit a serious point and he started depending on being drunk every night. He couldn't do it, it was too much of a haze. Could it have been ten years? Ten years since their relationship had begun falling apart?

'I'm sorry Faith, he never told me that he thought he'd found you. If he had, I would've been there straight away. You would've come home, you would've had your family right there.'

'It's okay, Dad,' Faith said softly, reaching out and touching his arm gently. 'I know. I don't get why we lost each other in the first place?'

'Me either. We were under attack from some other angels. Cas Sam and me, we were trying to stop them coming in with a little bit of anti-angel magic, and you were meant to stay in the kitchen with your bear. Somehow, you got out, and walked right into the battlefield. I thought you were dead. We all did. And somehow you ended up in Michigan? Is that some kind of angel thing?'

'I don't know,' She shrugged, and stroked her hand along his arm. 'I'm sorry, Dad.'

'I don't blame you.' He promised her. 'I've gotta ask though, why're you calling yourself Faith these days?'

'It's not my real name?' She sounded surprised, shifting her head on her pillow.

'Nope.'

'Oh. They said that was all I was saying. Mommy, Daddy, Faith. They figured that was my name. What's my real name?'

'Siobhan Mary Winchester.'

'Siobhan?' She grinned. 'Mary?'

'Faith Hope?' He shot back, smiling too. 'Yeah, Cas picked your first name. Mary was my mom. But if you prefer Faith, I mean, it's been your name longer now,'

She sat up, groaning as she did from the pain in her wings, reaching over and giving Dean a small kiss on his cheek, before cuddling up to his side. Dean automatically wrapped his arms around her.

'How about a compromise? Faith Mary Winchester.'

'Good compromise,' Dean smiled.

'So, my Dad is the best hunter ever?' She nuzzled her head into his shoulder.

'Yeah, I'm such a great hunter that I couldn't even protect you when you were two. Best hunter ever.'

'Don't blame yourself. I guess it was my fault.'

'I don't know, Faith. I honestly don't. I'd love to know what happened that day. Don't blame yourself either.'

'Dad? Tell me about me as a baby?'

Dean chuckled quietly, squeezing her tightly, and nuzzling his head against hers, feeling a lump forming in his throat as her wings surrounded them, like the first day she had them when she was protecting him from the rain she had created. It was crazy how easily she'd accepted that they were related, how happily she'd accepted Dean back into her life. Dean had thought, if they had ever seen her again, that she would gravitate towards Castiel, and look down on Dean and his drunken ways with an undisguised, disgusted pity. Maybe growing up in the orphanage had made her feel like Dean and his problems were more relatable that Castiel, who seemed to have issued orders for her without any bonding. Dean was going to have to talk to Castiel long and hard about that, but for now, he was concentrating on his girl.

'You were the most beautiful baby. I know every parent says that, but come on, you're part angel, how could you not be?'

Faith giggled, and snuggled closer, as Dean talked in a low voice, telling her about her first words, her first steps, her first birthday party, everything he could remember. She noticed that he skimmed over the details of her mother, but let it slide, embracing the fact that she had her father in her life, that she even had a father to begin with.

* * *

They'd been talking for hours, cocooned in Faith's wings, discussing everything Dean could remember about her childhood. Faith had been surprised when Dean mentioned that she had quickly fallen in love with flying, as her wings were still throbbing and cramping, at least until he pointed out that she could go decent distances without them according to Sam. She sheepishly admitted to jumping the Grand Canyon six months before, expecting Dean to yell at her, but instead he laughed loudly, deeply, and squeezed her shoulders harder.

'You're definitely my kid. Man, that's great!'

'You're not going to tell me it's irresponsible?'

'Well, it would've sucked if someone caught you doing it, but you've done bigger than that when you were a kid.'

The door opened then, and Dax walked in, stopping short as he saw his girlfriend on the bed, wrapped in feathers with Dean.

'What's going on here?' He looked between them, pushing his glasses up his nose nervously. Dean patted Faith's leg.

'I'll leave you both to it. Faith? Be honest with him, he deserves it.' He scooted off the bed, and out of Faith's wings, clapping a hand on Dax's shoulder when he reached the gangly teen. 'Hear her out, man. A lot's happened overnight.'

'If I find out you've hurt my girlfriend, I will kill you.' Dax snarled back.

'Kid, I like that you wanna protect her, but I know she's the one in charge. And I could say the same to you.'

He left the room, and Faith watched Dax carefully. He shut the door after Dean, and then turned around.

'You slept with that creep? I knew he was sizing you up all night, but come on, Faith-'

'He's my dad.' She blurted. 'He's my dad, and he's really nice, Dax. He's not ramming his beliefs down my throat, he's asking me questions, okay? And it's so weird, we haven't seen each other for fifteen years and we're so alike. Did you know he used to sing classic rock at my bedtime?'

'Well, that explains why you might find it soothing to listen to AC/DC.'

'He relaxes when he hears Metallica.'

'Right. And are we going to talk about the feathers?'

'They're my wings. And they hurt, so don't touch them. That Castiel creep was here last night, he forced them out, and Dad made sure I was okay.'

'Whoa, whoa, wait, you have wings. You met Castiel. You suddenly have a dad. What's really going on here, Faith? What am I missing?'

'Dax-'

'Seriously, Faith, you're being so casual about all of this and it's so far removed from casual-'

'Will you let me explain?' She blew up at him. 'Dad told you a lot happened-'

'Don't call him Dad. His name is Dean.'

'And he's my  _dad_. So guess what I'm going to call him? He says I'm part-angel. I mean, it's gross to think about Dad-sex, but he scored with an angel. Actually, he's scored with a couple of angels, because that's how I met Castiel last night. He was "visiting" Dean.'

'Visiting as in?'

'I think Dad was getting an angelic blowj-'

'Okay, gross, that's your dad you're talking about!'

'You didn't walk in on it! And I like how he's my dad now you're grossed out about his sexuality.'

'I didn't think angels had anything.'

'They must do, my mom's one.'

'So, this Castiel guy, he spends all this time bossing Gabriel around and not paying us any real attention, and the first time you meet him he's doing stuff with your dad? What's up with that guy?'

'Right? But my dad actually likes him. He calls him Cas. It sounds like he was around when I was a baby.'

Dax began laughing.

'What if this Castiel is your mom?'

'What if he's your mom?' Faith spat back, hitting him with a pillow. 'Thanks for not freaking out about my wings.'

'Oh, I'm freaking out. I'm freaking out about all of this. I think I'm in shock.'

'Same. But seriously, Dax, Dean's great, and he's on our side, okay? Even if all the other adults are full of bullshit, I know he's not.'

'So we're stopping here for a while?'

'Well, I'd like to. It's my home, right? And it'll be yours, too. We're a package deal.'

Dax smiled briefly, then gestured to her wings.

'Can I touch them? I'll be careful, I just … how many people get to touch angel wings?'

'Part-angel wings.' Faith corrected him. 'Go ahead.'

Dax ran his hand over the main arch of one wing, his fingers grazing the irredescent fluff there, before he stroked down on the feathers.

'Can you feel that?'

'Yeah, it tickles.'

'This is so crazy. So freaking crazy. I mean, I knew there was something special about you, Faith, but I never figured … I'm in love with an angel.'

'You're so corny,' she laughed, leaning forward and kissing him gently on his mouth. 'Come on, I want to go flying. Want to come with me?'

'Are you crazy? Dax shook his head. 'I'll watch, but that's it.'

'Okay. Let me get dressed, and we'll go find Dad. I think he'll wanna be there too.'


	9. Chapter 9

Dean had left Faith's room feeling anxious for her. He knew from their conversations that she and Dax had been together almost constantly since she'd saved him from the vampires and he knew it wasn't going to be easy for her to talk to Dax about the things she had found out last night. Hell, they'd only met the day before, Dean didn't know how Faith was processing anything.

He walked into his room and found Castiel lounging on his bed, still in the t-shirt and boxers he'd been in when Faith interrupted the night before. Castiel was looking up at him intently, and Dean felt the anger burn again, as he had when Faith first mentioned Castiel. He turned around and closed the door before approaching the foot of the bed.

'How's Siobhan?' Castiel smiled.

'Are you freaking kidding me right now?' Dean growled back. The smile slid from Castiel's face.

'Dean, you're not the only one concerned for the welfare of our child. I realise her wings are painful right now but-'

'Cas, cut the crap, she told me. She said for as long as she can remember, as long as Dax as been in the picture, she's had you delivering messages through Gabriel. And you never thought to tell me? Never once told me she was alive, and safe, and well? Never thought that maybe I needed that? I needed it Cas, I needed something to live for.'

'I know, Dean, I heard your prayers.' Castiel looked up at the ceiling as Dean's brow furrowed deeper and deeper into his face.

'That's it? That's all you have to say to me? She needed us, Cas! And I needed her. And you kept her away from me for years. What, was I too drunk to be able to raise her, huh? Is that it? Or did God tell you to leave me out, for some stupid Heaven reason I'm too mortal to understand?'

'Dean, don't speak ill of my father.'

'That's all you have to say? Come on, Cas, I need more than that. She needs more than that! She doesn't know who you are, not really, to her you're some uptight angel making her friend act like a douchebag. Maybe when she was seven years old, she needed her mother, rather than her joke of an uncle.'

'Dean,' Castiel said levelly. 'You don't understand-'

'Because you're not talking, Cas!

'What do you want me to tell you Dean? The complex patterns of Heaven and other details that completely surpass your species? The secrets my father may have shared with me?'

'Don't be such a dick, Cas. I'm her Dad, you're her Mom. That's it, that's basic. And you screwed up, because you refused to be with her and you didn't give me the chance. You kept us apart Cas. No wonder she's hating on you so badly. I used to call out for you, man, I used to wish you would just be there. Not the way you were, not just visiting and keeping your distance and only talking to Sam because I was such a damn embarrassment.'

'And how are you suddenly okay now, Dean? You're alcohol dependent, and you're suddenly fine without it?'

'No, I'm not, but I will be, now she's back. And you can be damn sure, Cas, that I'm not going to lose her again.'

'I never wanted to lose her in the first place, Dean. You weren't the one to walk into the kitchen and discover that she'd gone. I thought maybe she'd worked out how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich by herself, and crawled into the cupboard to do it. I thought she might have changed herself and Bear into fish to play with Fish.'

'So what, as soon as we saw that crater, that was it? No more need to worry over Siobhan and Bear, huh?'

'Dean-'

'You know what, Cas? Unless you're giving me answers, don't talk to me.'

Dean turned his back on Castiel, going through his closet for some clothes.

'Dean, I didn't know for sure. What I said last night, about the antichrists and her, that was true. There are four out there somewhere, who I now have to find and kill. Four other teenage girls, Dean, whose lives I've influenced as much as Faith's. What if I had "bonded" with all of them? How would I be able to do what I have to do now if I had? What if you had bonded with one of the other girls only to find out it was the wrong one, and you then had to either help me kill the child you'd raised or watch as I did it?'

'It didn't need to take ten years, Cas. And all I had to hear was that there was a chance, a way to find her. A way to meet her before she started wearing contacts and forgetting she had wings. We could have worked it out, we could have saved her, we could've trained her up right if she was so determined to be a hunter too.'

'I've done my best, Dean.'

'But you didn't let me do mine.'

'You turned your back on hunting, Dean. You said it was something you couldn't do any more.'

Dean turned around quickly, striding across the room and pushing his face into Castiel's.

'I was grieving. I had just lost my kid, Cas! Do you think it wouldn't be reversed for her? And it's not even true, I'm like the new Bobby. I can't get away from it. Stop with the empty excuses, Cas. You let us both down.'

'Are we going to have angry sex now?' Castiel asked, looking at the minimal amount of space between his body and Dean's.

'No. I'm getting dressed, and then I'm making pancakes.' Dean narrowed his eyes and stormed away, thrusting open his bedroom door and slamming it behind him. He stormed into the kitchen, pulling out ingredients and pans as Faith dragged Dax into the kitchen.

'Dad? Can I go flying? She asked breathlessly. Dean turned away from the stove.

'Sure. I was going to do pancakes-'

'Really? Pancakes?' Dax interrupted, eyes gleaming. He turned to Faith excitedly. 'Faith, real breakfast!'

'I guess I need to get my strength up to relearn how to fly.' Faith smiled, sliding into a seat at the table. 'Can you make pancakes?'

'Hey, I nailed the Mac and Cheese last night,' Dean smiled back, as Dax perched beside Faith on the seat.

'You did,' Faith nodded. 'Hey so is S-Uncle Sam going to be back soon?'

Dean shrugged.

'Maybe. He and Krissy were still sorting out what happened in Mississippi,' he started working on the pancakes, still talking. 'Faith, no one thinks you're not good at hunting, but you do know there's a reason why you're meant to research cases, right?'

'Yeah, yeah, yeah.' Dean glanced over just to see her roll her eyes.

'I get it. I do, I want to gank every last mother on the planet too. But look, there are reasons for ghosts haunting a place, there are stories behind each issue. You're going in blind and lucking out. Why don't you listen to Dax more? I'm sure he'd be okay with looking into things for you.'

'Dad, please don't give me this lecture too.' Faith sighed loudly. 'I just want pancakes.'

'Did someone say pancakes?' Sam's voice came through the door.

'Yeah, I'm making 'em,' Dean called back. Sam walked into the kitchen, a surprised expression on his face.

'Hey, you're up already … and sober.' He spotted Faith and Dax, sitting with their backs to him. 'Oh.  _Oh!_ '

Dean looked around at Sam and grinned.

'You've met Faith and Dax already, right?'

Sam was eyeing the wings sprouting out of Faith's back.

'So she is, I mean, she's a-'

'Yep.' Dean grinned. Sam did a double take.

'She's-'

'Yep!' Dean smirked as Sam practically fell into the seat opposite his niece.

'You're Siobhan? You survived after all?'

'Yeah, looks like it.'

'Cool. Stay out of my shirts.'

Dean burst out laughing, as Faith rolled her eyes again.

'Really, Uncle Sam, no.'

'Okay, hold up, what did Sam call you?' Dax asked Faith. 'Because I've heard a lot of crazy shit today, but at least everyone's got your name right so far.'

'I chose it,' Castiel announced as he appeared into the room. Dean immediately began concentrating on cooking the pancakes, and Faith rolled her eyes again.

'And your name used to be Shannon?' Dax double-checked.

'No, Siobhan.' Castiel reiterated.

'Well, I've been Faith since I was three, so it's Faith now,' she shook her head, and looked at Sam. 'Did I used to draw on them or something?'

'No, you would wear them. And accessorise with polka dot leggings and bright pink tutu's. I'm sure we have pictures somewhere, right Dean?'

'Yeah, somewhere, I'll dig them out.' Dean said stiffly. Castiel slowly approached Faith, standing behind her and looking down at her. She felt his eyes burning into the back of her head, and turned around to glare at him, forcing herself not to wince as her wings flexed during the motion.

'What's up, Castiel?'

'We have things to discuss, Siobhan, and I'd rather do it sooner than later.'

'Well, I have today planned, Dad's cooking pancakes, and then I'm flying a little.'

Castiel noticed that Faith had already changed to calling Dean "Dad" but still called him Castiel.

'Flying, really?'

'Why not? It helped when she was a kid.'

'She's still a nephilim, her position is still not completely secure, Dean. And what if she flew into a demon?'

'So she takes the demon blade with her. It's fine Cas, she's not made of glass.' Dean shrugged.

' _Dean_ ,' Castiel tried reprimanding him, but Sam backed Dean up.

'Cas, if you saw her in that factory, hunting out the ghosts, you'd know she could handle herself against a demon.'

'You should've seen her at the vamp nest in New York. Took out three of them in seconds.'

'You're all embarassing me!' Faith waved her hand in front of her face as though fanning herself. 'Keep talking.'

'I still don't think this is advisable.'

'Of course you don't,' Faith muttered. 'You have a stick up your ass.'

'Siobhan, I can hear you. I could hear you if you were a mile away. And I don't have a stick up my ass, I'm worried for you. Like I said, we have things we need to discuss.'

'After flying. My dad thinks it will help my wings ache less. Problem?'

Castiel looked up at Dean, who was bringing a stack of pancakes over to the table. They made eye contact, and Dean shrugged.

'What can I say, she's a Daddy's girl.'


	10. Chapter 10

Faith was the first one outside after everyone had eaten breakfast, taking a brief run from the doorway and shooting up into the sky, her wings flapping slowly, but lifting her quickly. By the time Dean, Dax, Sam and Castiel reached the doorway, she was far up, not high enough to touch the clouds, but enough to be able to see the whole of Lebanon from her vantage point.

Dean laughed as he watched her looping around in the sky, with a sense of deja vu that felt warm and welcoming rather than cautionary. Her attitude to flying was the same it had been when she was a nervous toddler. Dax sucked in a breath beside him, and Sam clapped him on the shoulder.

'Yeah, it's a shock, isn't it?'

'My girlfriend's flying.' Dax managed to breathe out.

'That's pretty much how Sam reacted when they first appeared.' Dean smirked, walking forwards to watch her progress. Sam shook his head at Dax, who smiled weakly.

'Seriously, she sprouted them at daycare. Dean went to get her, and just let her fly around the bunker and I was freaking out but he was just like 'let her fly' so I had to be casual back. But seriously, it's not every day a toddler sprouts wings.'

'We knew there would be things to set her apart, being nephilim,' Castiel spoke up behind Sam.

'You and Dean were a lot more prepared for it than I was,' Sam shrugged.

'It gets easier though, right? To get used to whatever this means?' Dax pressed. 'I mean, I've seen her do some crazy stuff, but I thought maybe she made a deal or knew a little magic.'

'What would you have done if she had made a deal?' Sam sounded curious.

'What anyone would. I would've made a deal to go in her place.'

Sam clapped him on the shoulder again.

'You're a good guy, Dax.'

'Thanks. So, you're her uncle?'

'Yep.'

'Did she really used to steal your clothes?'

Sam laughed.

'Yeah, my shirts, my breakfast, most of my stuff. She had too much help in the "mine" phase from Dean. But she was a sweet kid, she used to bring her toys to life to have tea parties.'

Dax burst out laughing.

'Faith used to have tea parties?'

'Yep. You should've heard her toy names. Her teddy was Bear, her unicorn was Pony, her rabbit was Rabbit-'

'And Mrs Rabbit,' Castiel stuck in. Dax was laughing again, looking back up in the sky and watching as Faith soared higher, arms outspread and wings practically flat against her back before she levelled out. 'I remember her making Pony real, and her flying him in her projection.'

'Dean freaked.' Sam told Dax.

'She listens to him, though.'

'She always did. And she listens to you.' Sam pointed out.

'Nah, she argues with me all the time. She always thinks she's right.'

'She's a lot like Dean in that respect,' Castiel said quietly. Dax blinked at him through his glasses.

'So she's not like her Mom? I've not heard much about her, yet.'

'She used to be,' Sam answered, shooting Castiel a sideways glance. 'But the Mom situation's complicated. Angel lore.'

'Right.' Dax nodded, as Faith flew back towards them, almost dive-bombing, but pulling up at the last second and hovering in front of Dax.

'How amazing is this, Dax? I can fly! Wanna come up with me?'

'No, I think I'll be sick.'

Faith rolled her eyes and shook her head.

'Dax, you're disappointing me.' She fake-pouted.

'I'm talking to your uncles. They're okay. I'm okay. You go fly.'

'You're boring, Dax.'

'Ask your Dad if he'll fly with you.' Dax shrugged.

'Fine. Killjoy.'

'Love you too.' Dax called as she swooped away, flying low near the ground to where Dean was sitting on a verge, watching.

'Whatever!' They heard her call back. He laughed as Sam did, and Sam watched until she was hovering in front of Dean.

'This is going to be interesting, Dean's scared of flying.' Sam muttered.

'He flew on Pony once, to go looking for her. He might agree.' Castiel pointed out.

'And he puked. I doubt it.'

The three of them watched as Faith talked fast to Dean, and he paled slightly, but talked back, and after a few minutes, stood up, stepping forward.

'Oh, she's good,' Sam smirked. 'I wanna watch this, but I don't wanna get puked on.'

'I'll make sure he doesn't vomit on anyone,' Castiel promised. They huddled together, watching and listening to Dean cursing as Faith flew, lower now, slower, without all her fancy loops and dives. Eventually Dean stopped cussing and they could hear him singing, off-key, Metallica.

'So, have you talked to her, Cas?' Sam spoke up eventually.

'No, she seems to resent me. And Dean is displeased with me as well.'

'Dean'll come around, especially now she's back.'

'I don't know, Sam. He's defending her and neither of them are listening to the real issue.'

'He's always gonna stick up for her Cas, but he loves you. Just let him calm down.'

'It feels as though neither of them want me as part of the family right now.'

Sam slung an arm around Castiel in an awkward "bro" hug.

'You know that's not true. Dean's just appealing to the human side she's gotten used to. Give her some time, she'll get used to the angel parts too. And she needs you to point out what those are and how to deal with them. She's probably forgotten everything you used to teach her.'

Dax looked at them both, confusion clearly written on his face.

'So, you're like her Gandalf or her Dumbledore or something?' He asked Castiel. Sam chuckled.

'No, Cas is more like Lily, without being dead, you know?'

'I don't understand the reference,' Castiel frowned. 'I'm not a funeral plant?'

Sam and Dax laughed, as Charlie appeared in the doorway, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

'Is that Dean and that girl? Flying? What the hell did I miss last night?'

'A lot, apparently. It's Dean and Cas' girl, Charlie.'

'The dead one Dean's been drinking his life away over?'

'Nicely summed up, Charlie.' Sam shook his head in amused exasperation.

'I try. I can hang around, right? I love visiting you guys, this place will never stop being so damn cool. I wanna look at the computer room again.'

'Sure, I'll come with you.' Sam turned around.

'Can I come too?' Dax asked quietly, shifting his feet. 'Faith's going to try and get me to fly again, I know it. And I wanna hear more about her as a kid.'

'Sure, I'll look for the photographs.'

The three of them walked back inside, leaving Castiel watching Dean and Faith flying slowly nearby. Sam let Charlie and Dax into the computer room and disappeared again quickly, returning after Charlie had opened up a panel with a small stack of photographs.

'Dean'll kill me for taking these for you before Faith gets a look in, but you wanted to see them, so,' Sam pulled a chair up to where Dax was perched on a counter, and straddled it from behind. Even on the lower seat, he towered above Dax. He held each picture up in turn, telling a little story with it.

'So, this is when she was first born. Dean was keeping me in the dark then, and I think he told me he was getting ammunition when he went to see her. She was only a couple hours old there. And that's Cas with her-'

Dax took the second photograph, of Castiel standing with a tiny baby in his arms, their faces close together and a contented smile on his face, his eyes shining with pride. Sam had called Faith "Dean and Cas' girl" earlier, hadn't he? But Castiel looked as male as he did even now. He didn't look any older, unlike Dean and Sam, who had both wrinkled slightly, their hair turning the same dark shade of grey.

'So, Cas is Faith's mom?' Dax double-checked. Sam smiled, and handed him another picture.

'Yeah. I mean, that's only his vessel, the guy you can see there. He normally looks like that. But for something like a week, for reasons I don't think we ever found out, Cas had to use another vessel, and he found Cassandra. I mean, technically Cassandra had Faith, but at the time she was made, Cas was in the driving seat. Like I said, it's complicated.'

'So what happened to Cassandra?' Dax wanted to know. Sam flicked through the photographs in order, showing the tiny baby growing slowly even as she developed enough to sit up, stand, and walk in a succession of photographs Dean had kept private. Dax didn't know much about babies - he and Faith had ignored them in the home, sticking close together whenever they could - but even he could tell that there was an intelligence in her eyes from the very start, far beyond any normal baby. Eventually, they got to the photographs with Sam in, and Dax realised he hadn't been in any of the pictures so far.

'I only met her when Cassandra died,' Sam informed Dax quietly. 'It was a strange situation, knowing that she was this huge part of my brother and I didn't know her at all. But they wanted her life to be normal, you know? They didn't want her to get dragged into hunting. Dean was adamant she wouldn't grow up like we did, living out of a car with a dad who was only really there in body, and even that was occasional. At least with Cassandra, she had stability, you know? And then someone killed her, and they had no choice.'

Dax nodded, unable to answer, just staring at the toddler version of his girlfriend in the newest photograph that Sam had passed him. Her hair was slightly unruly, and she was indeed in a plaid man's shirt, her huge mis-matched eyes betraying her sense of fear as she stood in the middle of a room littered with toys. The only real defining thing Dax could see in the picture was the teddy that she clutched tightly, like a security blanket.

'She looks scared,' he commented. 'Faith never gets scared.'

'Maybe, maybe not. But she was two years old, her surrogate Mom had been killed in front of her, and she didn't enjoy daycare. She was allowed to be a little scared, right?'

'She's going to hate seeing these pictures.' Dax breathed.

'Maybe, maybe not. It might answer her questions, or spark a memory. And if not, it might help her bond again with Castiel.'

'He has been kind of a tool.' Dax valiantly tried to back Faith up. Sam smiled patiently.

'Maybe, but doesn't everyone have problems with their parents when they're teenagers?'

Dax shrugged, and Sam's face fell.

'Sorry, Dax, I didn't mean … I mean, our Mom died too. I never even knew her.'

'Okay, guys, I'm going to interrupt the love fest, do you even know how amazing this place is? I could totally rewrite the program to simulate pokemon in the bunker.'

'Please don't,' Sam sighed, rubbing his face. 'I don't want to wake up in the morning next to one of the annoying ones.'

Charlie glared at him, and Dax chuckled, flicking through a few of the pictures again, finding his favourite in the bunch and sliding it out into his pocket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going out on a limb and saying ... two and a half years ago, I *totally* came up with Pokemon Go.
> 
> Thanks, Charlie :)


	11. Chapter 11

Dean's stomach was churning, and he knew he was grasping Faith far too tightly to be anything but painful. He'd stopped singing out loud for fear that if he opened his mouth again, he would blow chunks everywhere. But Faith looked so happy, up in the air, the wind in her face, her wings wide open behind her.

'You were right,' she admitted to Dean. 'They don't ache any more. But I can't have them out all the time, can I? Humans would talk. Other hunters would kill me.'

Dean nodded weakly, trying not to look down.

'Dad? Are you okay?'

'Mmm-hmmm.'

She laughed.

'You're almost as bad as Dax! Well, maybe not, at least you said yes.' She sighed and slowly lowered Dean to the ground, stepping gently on the floor. Dean immediately reeled back, accidentally stumbling into Castiel, who wrapped his arms around Dean.

'Are you okay?' Castiel murmured.

'I will be.' Dean gasped, bending forward as he sucked in air. 'Faith's got a firm grip.'

'She is nephilim,' Castiel shrugged. 'Super strength.'

'Like, how super?' Faith asked, finally giving Castiel some attention. Castiel looked at her, and hesitated.

'The answer will entirely depend on your intentions, Siobhan.'

'Faith,' she corrected him. 'Could I take you on?'

Castiel sighed.

'I'm not going to fight you.'

'Wuss,' Faith muttered. Dean looked up at her, squinting as he finally levelled out his breathing.

'Cas isn't a wuss, Faith. This has gotta stop,' he stood up straight, taking Castiel's hand and tugging him closer to her. 'Cas isn't the bad guy, right?'

'You're pissed at him too!' Faith shot back.

'Maybe, but Faith, it's too much. You're not holding anything against me, why do it to him?'

Faith looked between them for a moment, then rolled her eyes.

'Okay, I get it, you want me to like my new stepdaddy, but it's not going to work.'

'New ste- Faith, Cas is your mom, I thought you knew that? And yeah, I'm mad at him, but over you, Faith. What's your excuse?'

Faith looked between the two men again, and then laughed hysterically.

'Yeah, a guy's my mom, good one! Dax is right, this whole thing is so messed up.'

Castiel gazed at his daughter, as Dean shifted beside him.

'Shi-Faith,' Castiel forced himself to correct it this time. 'Do you honestly not remember any of your childhood?'

She shook her head slowly, the laughter dying, as Castiel and Dean swapped a look.

'Could work,' Dean shrugged. 'I've always got the photographs.'

'If she'll let me try,' Castiel sighed.

'Uh-uh, no talking in code, tell me straight what you're thinking.' Faith folded her arms across her chest. Castiel stepped forwards slowly.

'I could try to access the memories, or give you mine. You were told many things Faith, and you made decisions even when you were very small, and it would be helpful if you could remember any of it.'

'This isn't going to be like you forcing my wings out, is it?' She stepped back slowly. 'Because I sure as hell won't let you touch me if it is.'

'It may be slightly uncomfortable,' Castiel admitted. 'Your wings only hurt because they'd been buried for so long.'

'Then no fucking way. Where are these pictures?'

Dean nodded into the bunker, and led the way back inside, heading back into his bedroom and opening his underwear drawer, tossing boxers aside as he rooted through. Castiel stood close beside him, as Faith looked around his room, at his knife display on his wall and the gun collection he kept close by.

'Where the hell are they?' Dean eventually growled, slamming the drawer shut. 'They were in there!'

He pulled out his cell phone and dialled, holding the phone to his ear and glaring at the floor.

'Sammy? You been in my room lately? … Well, I want them! Bitch.'

He hung up, and tossed the cell phone on the bed,

'Sam has them, he'll bring them up in a second. He was showing Dax.'

'God, I hope there's no naked ones then,' Faith groaned. Dean's bad mood broke as he smirked.

'Guess it's too late if there are. So you and he haven't … I mean, you're teenagers-'

'No offense, Dad, but like I'm going to share that with you.'

'She already said, last night.' Castiel shrugged. 'When she walked in on us-'

'And I'm trying to repress that image, thank you Castiel!'

'She's pure.' Castiel nodded at Dean. 'You can stop imagining ways to torture Dax.'

Sam walked sheepishly into the room at that point, the wad of photographs in his hand. He passed them to Dean who snatched them quickly, shaking his head at his brother.

'How'd you even know they were there?'

'Because I've lived with you my whole life. And because for the last fifteen years, you haven't always been capable of dealing with the basics. I've got you dressed more than once. I found them a couple of years ago.'

Dean just glared at Sam for a moment, as Sam rubbed his palms along his thighs, and looked over at Faith.

'Okay, I get it, family moments. I'm going to show Dax the books the Men of Letters kept, he's really interested in what they used to study. Charlie's looking into the main computer, she keeps talking about updating it or simulating Skyrim or something in the bunker. I'm hoping it's just for Dax's amusement, but well, just a heads up incase some kind of anime samurai walks through the door.'

'Seriously, Uncle Sam, did that sentence sound normal to you?' Faith smirked. Sam grinned back.

'Sweetie, if you heard half of our stories, that would be the most normal thing I could've said. Besides, you're a hunter, you must've seen some crazy stuff?'

Faith shrugged, sitting down on Dean's bed as Dean slid next to her.

'I guess.'

'I'll leave you guys to it,' Sam smiled, and clapped a hand on Castiel's shoulder before leaving the room. Dean passed the stack of pictures to Faith, who flicked through slowly, studying each image, oblivious to Dean's arm around her shoulder, to Castiel sitting beside her and leaning his head against hers.

'Remember anything?' Dean asked, about the time they got to the pictures of her first birthday.

'Nothing solid.' Faith's voice shook. Dean and Castiel realised at the same time that she was crying.

'Faith?' Dean asked her gently, kissing her cheek.

'We were really happy, weren't we?' She sniffed, looking at a picture of Dean holding a tiny baby with a pink, conical Princess hat strapped on her head, and cake crumbs all around her face. Castiel was in the picture too, his arms around Dean and the baby, his head resting by her head.

'We were. And we can be again, right?'

She nodded, and sniffed again, and Dean pressed a kiss to her temple as she flipped to the next photograph, of Castiel holding her close and smiling down at her, his eyes ablaze with love. And the baby in his arms was reaching for his face, her expression earnest as she stared at Castiel. Faith looked sheepishly at Castiel, who was looking at the photograph with interest.

'Did you take that one, Dean?'

'No, must've been Cassandra.'

'And Cassandra is?' Faith turned to Dean, glad the moment she might have to choke out an apology had passed.

'Okay, we're going to have to start from the beginning, aren't we?' Dean cuddled closer, reaching out for Castiel as well.

* * *

Faith's head felt crammed full of information. Dean and Castiel had explained the best way they could how they ended up having her, how she was left with Cassandra for her own good, how she came to them after Cassandra died, even how she had once had a werewolf as her temporary babysitter.

But it wasn't over yet, Castiel had insisted that they take her into her old bedroom, to see if that was going to trigger any memories. And even though she knew the second she walked into the room that it was the kind of room she loved as a child - and definitely one she would have wanted in the orphanage - something still felt off.

And now Dean had left the room, and it was just Castiel and Faith, sitting on the tiny, child-sized bed, Faith cuddling a cushion as Castiel held a hand on her shoulder. She could hear him, but he wasn't speaking. It wasn't quite like the mind reading she could do, it was different. Castiel was placing his thoughts in her head, and she could answer back. He promised that they used to communicate this way a lot, that there were things Castiel needed to tell Faith that humans would not be able to cope with.

And Faith had never wished to be a mere human more than listening to what Castiel had to say, hearing about the angelic wars and exactly where they both fit into them, especially now God was back.

Because there was a purpose to God asking Castiel to watch for her. Of course there was. Castiel didn't know what it was, but he didn't question God at all. And Faith just had to wait for instructions, and then follow them blindly, and that left a bad taste in her mouth. If Dean heard Castiel speaking … that was the point to this discussion though, Faith knew, Dean wasn't meant to find out about any of it. Because for her mother, God came first.

Faith knew Castiel could hear all her doubts and her distaste as she reacted, but he pushed on anyway. Eventually though, she pulled away, hugging the cushion tightly and scowling at the floor.

'Faith?' Castiel asked gingerly, managing to call her by the name she chose. She didn't acknowledge the gesture.

'It's too much, okay? It's been less than twenty-four hours, I just … I need some time to process this. I need to talk to Dax. Sorry, Mom.'

She stood up quickly, hurrying out of the bright pink room, and dashing through the labyrinthian hallways of the bunker, unsure where she'd find her boyfriend. She stumbled into a room eventually, that she hadn't been in before. It was bare, except for a suit hanging up on the wardrobe door, charcoal grey with a white shirt. A deep blue tie was looped around the collar, and a trenchcoat hung loosely over the shoulders. It was the only thing in the room, but it made her stop, just for a moment. There was something familiar about it, more than seeing Castiel wearing it in many of the photos. The fact it was left in this room Faith felt sure had some kind of significance. She started poking around in the pockets, and found a list in a hastily scribbled hand, a lot of items crossed off on it, until it said one word. "Europe?"

'Hey,' Sam's voice came from the doorway. Faith turned around, and saw her uncle leaning against the doorframe. 'Are you okay?'

'It's a lot to take in,' Faith admitted. Sam nodded, running a hand through his thick grey hair.

'But you're doing good with it. You took to flying okay, and you believed us pretty quickly.'

'I could hear Dad's thoughts. I heard yours in that factory too,' Faith admitted, as Sam smirked. 'I knew you weren't lying to me.'

'Bet that's helped with hunting so far.' Sam observed.

'Yeah, it's why I haven't done the whole research thing. I can work people out.'

'Then you know I mean it when I say that, if you need anyone to talk to because your parents are pissing you off, I'm here. Just leave my crap alone. And don't turn me into a hamster.'

Faith burst out laughing.

'I did that?'

'I'm still scarred.'

'Thanks, Uncle Sam. It means a lot.'

'It's okay, kid,' he opened up his arms and Faith gladly rushed across the room, into his arms. 'If it helps at all, you're my favourite niece.'

'I'm your only niece,' Faith pointed out, smirking, and Sam shook his head.

'Only one still alive.'

'I had a sister?' Faith asked eagerly, and Sam shrugged.

'Half. Part amazon.'

'What happened to her?'

'She was raised to kill Dean. So I killed her.'

'That's not helping with the information overload,' Faith pointed out. 'Or feeling the warm fuzzies from finding my family.'

'Relax, I only did it because Dean choked. It wasn't the same deal, Faith. She grew up in three days by women who set out to kill their fathers. Your situation is so different. We're going to protect you, I promise.'

'And I should just believe you?' She asked, and he lowered his face, pouting slightly, turning on an old charm.

'Yeah, you should.'

Faith rolled her eyes.

'I don't think it's going to help, Uncle Sam.'

'Of course it will. We're the Winchesters.'


	12. Chapter 12

Dax had settled in the meeting room with a huge stack of books and notes, going through the material as he chewed his way absent-mindedly through a huge bag of potato chips. Sam had left him to go get something from his room and Dax had embraced the silence, and the space, and more importantly, the knowledge he was going to gleam from these books. If he could learn more about Faith, about what she actually was, it might help him come to terms with the fact that the day before, they were running for their lives and now, she was calling their persuer 'Uncle' and spending most of her time with a raging alcoholic.

It wasn't the weirdest situation that she'd dragged him into, but it was going to be the one with the most impact in their lives. It was different to the time she'd insisted they went into a deep forest, completely naked, to talk with the Fae she thought were messing with a local village. Dax still wasn't entirely sure why they had to be naked, or why the Fae had laughed so hard at his skinny, pasty chest and matchstick legs. Okay, he didn't have an impressive body, but it wasn't  _that_  funny. Faith hadn't commented on it, luckily. Still, that was only for a couple of hours, this was apparently her family. This was permanent.

And Dax didn't understand the dynamic, even if he wanted to. That Castiel was her mom and Dean was her Dad and somehow that stopped her being human and somehow gave her those huge, shimmering wings that she didn't seem to want to put away again. It was unnerving to see her, barely grazing five feet, curvy yet skinny and dragging two huge wings along behind her. It was worse to know that she was so unphased by it all, like it was just an every day thing to grow wings and believe the guy stinking of booze when he started talking about them being family.

Basically, Dax wasn't enjoying this, at all. At least Sam was pretty similar to the Sam in the books he'd read, patient and smart and kind of reserved. And Sam seemed to understand how Dax was feeling, how much he just wanted to get the camper van sorted and go looking for more ghosts or vampires or wendigos, to do the job Faith had convinced him they needed to do, because it was worthwhile. Was she going to forget about all that for these men calling themselves her parents?

Dax had swallowed some of his pride when Sam was in the room with him.

'Sam, how do you even know you're related to Faith? I mean, you're all fighting to call her by another name, you haven't done any DNA-'

'DNA probably wouldn't work, with the Grace in effect and everything. There are ways we can know. Finding spells, Cas managing to get the wings out, her eyes were a dead giveaway too.'

'Yeah, she used to get teased at the orphanage for them. I've got used to her brown eyes now, I actually forgot about the contacts.'

'I'll bet. Dax, it'll be fine, stop worrying. I know you're used to it just being the two of you, but now you've got a lot of resources behind you. You're not alone. Isn't that a good thing?'

'I guess. I mean, I've seen all the things you and your brother have done in the books-'

Sam had groaned, pushing his hair back out of his eyes as he did.

'Dax, those books … they're not real. I mean, the things in them, they happened, but Chuck played fast and loose with the details. How many of Dean's death threats made it into the last few editions?'

'Who's Chuck? The writer near the end? And there were a couple.'

'Chuck was Edlund's real name. It's not important. Chuck was writing some kind of horror romance, or something lame like that, the truth was a lot worse. And the truth is, Dean, Cas and I? We're a lot more capable than those books would have you believe, okay?'

'You lost Faith when she was two, apparently.'

'Even that's not black-and-white. She was supposed to stay put, where it was safe, while we were working on protecting her. I have no idea what happened to make her walk out, to sneak through a route we didn't even know existed, but something did. And I know Dean and Cas want to unlock what happened that day, find out how they could possibly have lost her.'

'What if they can't? Will they think she's an antichrist and kill her?'

Sam smirked and shook his head.

'No, we've dealt with an antichrist before. We stopped Cas killing one before. He was a sweet little kid who believed everything you told him.'

'Like, everything? The moon is made of cheese, that sort of thing?' Dax grinned.

'Yep. Only, it affected people around him, for a few miles. We had to talk fast to get him to trust us, but he was a good kid. Despite having a demonic father, I mean.'

'So, these other antichrist, how are you going to find them?'

'I'm sure Castiel has them tapped in some way.'

'Are you going to save them from him, too?'

Sam had looked over Dax's face at that point, and smiled warmly.

'We'll do what we need to do. Whatever's going on with Castiel, he's usually good at being compassionate. Sometimes you just have to nudge him into the right direction a little, that's all.'

'So they're sure Faith is part angel?'

'Yeah, we're sure.'

'I want to read up on it. Know what I'm actually getting into.'

Sam had smiled and pulled out the stack of books now in front of Dax, as though he knew exactly where to look for information on nephilim. Dax had assumed it was because between the three of them, they'd studied enough about Faith when she was small, or maybe even before she was born.

'I'll leave you to it. Don't worry so much, okay, Dax?'

Dax had nodded, and pulled the first sturdy book towards him. He was now halfway through the pile, and getting worried, and a little confused.

This is what he had gleamed so far: nephilim were considered an abomination because Angels were meant to be subjective, to observe humans and not interact, and especially not disrespect their father but giving into carnal desires as though they themselves were human. There was only one recorded case of nephilim in the books, and they weren't Faith, and the references were ambiguous at best. But the thing that confused Dax the most was the mention that angels had fathered children, as in, possessed the male in any relationship. And Dax knew that clearly wasn't the case with Faith, so did that mean she had a fighting chance? He was feeling at a loss, and he certainly didn't trust anyone in the bunker, Sam included, and he could only think of one being that might give him a straight answer. He had to swallow his pride, and call Gabriel, and hope that since it involved Faith, Gabriel was willing to treat him like an actual person.

'Gabriel? It's Dax. Can we talk? About Faith?'

Gabriel popped up on the desk, biting into a large chocolate bar.

'Do you mean, you having faith, or my favourite niece?'

'What do you know about what she is, Gabe?'

Gabriel smiled, raising his eyebrows a couple of times, before slipping down into one of the seats beside Dax.

'I know she's a good person, even if she does resemble Deano way too much. I was always rooting for her you know, she looks too much like them. You should see Cassidy, ugh. Blonde hair, blue eyes, way too much pep to be real. Head cheerleader at her school.'

'Most people wouldn't see that as a problem.'

'Heinous bitch isn't a problem? So, why the doubt about Faith?'

'You already know why.'

'Too much reading, geek boy. And it's my kid, the one mentioned in those books. I say kid, she looked middle-aged when Castiel killed her.'

Dax hadn't been expecting that admittance.

'And now you're protecting his kid?' He said skeptically.

'I know, it sounds crazy, but Cas didn't have a choice, and it wasn't his fault, he was going to protect her. It was self-defence after that dick Metatron … anyway, not the issue now.'

'Kind of the issue now, Gabe.'

'Faith's safe, don't worry. There are bigger plans for her.'

'Like what?'

'Angel business, Dax! Where is she?'

'Talking to Dean or Castiel, I guess.' Dax shrugged, as at that moment, Faith wandered into the room, looking thoughtful. She stopped when she saw Gabriel, staring at him as though she'd never seen him before.

'Hey, Faith. How're your parents?'

'How long've you known?' Faith demanded.

'For sure? About two days.'

'You know what I mean, Gabe.' She growled. His smile grew, and he nodded at Dax.

'Like I said, resembles Deano way too much.' Gabe winked at Faith. 'I've known you were around since Balthazar spilled the beans. Just before you disappeared? I mean, Balthazar said he had nothing to do with it, but that loud-mouthed Brit didn't think-'

'Balthazar?' Faith interrupted. Gabe stood up, approaching her slowly.

'You remember something about Balthazar?'

'Yeah, I think so.' Faith frowned. 'He took me from a cloud. Anyway,' she shook her head, glaring once more at Gabriel. 'You know, don't you? About what's going to happen to me.'

'All in good time, Faith.'

'No! Mom told me, okay? He told me that I'm meant to go to purgatory or something when I die. And then he said-'

'I know, kid. I know.' Gabriel clapped a hand on her shoulder, and offered out the half-chewed chocolate bar. 'Want some?'

She took the bar and bit down, as Gabriel looked her in the eye and spoke as seriously as he could.

'Look, you still have a chance, a pretty good one. It's going to seem crappy, but it'll be worthwhile. God's got a plan for you.'

'That's not reassuring!' She gurgled out around a mouth full of chocolate, before turning to Dax. 'Want some awkward news? I have to stay a virgin. If I want to keep my soul and stay out of purgatory, I have to never do stuff.'

Dax coloured, and looked at the stack of books as though that would have some magic answer that he could give to stop them having that conversation. It wasn't that he and Faith were never affectionate with each other, but they'd never been  _that_  affectionate with each other, either. Faith had declared when she was ten and he was twelve that they were going to be together forever and there was a lot they needed to do, so kissing and "gross things like that" could wait. She was too determined to save the world to think about that kind of thing. But Dax knew that being told she wasn't allowed to do it immediately made her want to, just to prove a point.

'Well, I guess at least I know you're not going to cheat on me.' Dax finally managed.

'Thanks for the support, Dax!'

'Hey, hey,' Gabriel rubbed her shoulder. 'Look, sweetheart, there's a reason for it, okay? My father doesn't make stupid decisions out of nothing. He likes Castiel, just because Castiel works so hard to help humans. He knows you came out of something good, out of total love. So trust him, okay? He's not going to screw you over. Do me a favour, okay? Look up some of the old stories. Old Testament, new Testament, just bone up.'

'Why?' Faith snarled, before she took another huge bite out of the chocoalte bar.

'Because Faith, my darling, you're about to live through a retelling.'

Gabriel snapped his fingers and disappeared, and Faith met Dax's eyes.

'I'm starting to wish we never ran out of gas.' She sighed.

'Same. We could always just sneak some gas from the garage and leave in the middle of the night?'

Faith shook her head.

'My dad doesn't sleep much, my mom doesn't sleep at all, and Mom can hear thoughts.'

'So can you.' Dax pointed out.

'Yep, angel powers. His are stronger.'

'So, what're we going to do?' Dax wanted to know.

'The only thing we can do, I guess. Read up on bible stories and try to work out which one is meant for us. And then work like hell to make sure it doesn't happen.'

She sat opposite him at the table and pulled a book forward.

'Faith, what if it's the thing that saves you? Beyond this life? Maybe it's worth going along with it?'

'Maybe I'll be thrown to lions or made to walk around a desert for forty fucking years.'

'Do you think Sam, Dean or Castiel could help?'

Faith shrugged, and carried on flipping through the book.

'Faith?'

'Mom says humans aren't allowed to know anything. You already know too much.'

'I don't like your mom much.' Dax muttered.

'Tell me about it.' Faith nodded back, flipping the pages again. 'I just hope I get something cool, like turning water into wine.'


	13. Chapter 13

'Can you level with me?' Dean asked Castiel as he prepped a large stack of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. Castiel looked at the pile of bread with a trace of nostalgia in his eyes. 'Does Faith remember that day?'

'No,' Castiel shook his head sadly. 'I tried to read her mind, but I couldn't find much from her time with us, and what I could find makes no sense. I think all she has is the games she used to play. And besides, she was preoccupied.'

'With what?'

'With the things I had to remind her of, the things I had to tell her. She has a purpose, Dean.'

Dean paused in the middle of cutting the latest sandwich, to look at Castiel with a hardened look.

'No.'

'No?'

'Cas, you're not seriously … do you not remember the whole Michael and Lucifer thing? Sam and I, we were meant to have a purpose too. And you encouraged us not to do it. And now the rules are reversed for her? Why man? Why're you suddenly falling in line?'

'It's different this time, Dean. And do I have to remind you about the mark?'

'That was a means to an end-'

'And this is too. I have every confidence in her.'

'And I'm confident that no angel is screwing with my kid when I just got her back.'

'Dean-'

'End of story, Cas. We just got her home.'

He shoved the sandwich on the pile, and took all the supplies back across the kitchen to throw them into the cupboards as Castiel picked up a sandwich triangle and sighed.

'You know,' he stated, changing the subject. 'I worked out why she calls herself Faith these days.'

'Because she needed it?' Dean shot back, pulling a beer out of the cupboard and cracking it open.

'No, it's something I used to say to her. Every time she got scared about something, I told her to have faith. The way I used to talk to you about having faith.'

'Yeah, like I said,' Dean shrugged, and gulped down the beer.

'I'm just saying, do you think she'd go back to being Siobhan if she knew both names came from me?'

'No,' Dean breathed as he swallowed the last mouthful of beer. 'I think she's got used to it by now. It's not about getting to you Cas, she's known that name for a lot longer. And maybe there's a point to it, you know? And at least people can say this one. Even I struggled with it.'

'Fine,' Castiel sighed, and placed the sandwich back on the pile. 'Dean, can we talk about us?'

'What's to say?' Dean grabbed another beer from the cupboard. Castiel walked over, removed the bottle from his hands, placed it in the refrigerator and turned to Dean slowly.

'A lot. I feel like you resent me because Faith went missing.'

'I don't, Cas. But I needed you-'

'You turned to alcohol while I was searching Purgatory. You shut me out, Dean. Do you honestly think I turned my back on you?'

'I know that when God came along-'

'When my father returned, Dean, I found a new purpose. And I found hope, because He said there was a chance she was still alive. I didn't want to tell you just to build your hopes up. I wanted to bring her home. And I have done, in a way. So you could thank me.'

'Thanks, Cas, thanks for keeping me in the dark.'

'I told you, Dean, it wouldn't have helped to tell you there was the chance she was alive and then have you bond with the wrong person.'

'You think I couldn't recognise her, Cas? She looks just like you!'

'She looks more like you, Dean. But you haven't seen the others, even they have looks similar to ours. And that's not the point, Dean.'

'It is the point.'

'I'm talking about us.'

'Yeah, well, we had a kid together, so she's going to come up. She's part of us, Cas.'

Castiel stared hard at Dean, stepping closer.

'I'm aware of that, Dean. Please, stop acting like I don't care about her. I care, okay? But falling apart didn't help anyone. Did you think I enjoyed seeing you like that? I used to visit and you'd be passed out, and Sam would be exhausted. Most of the time, he only got the rest because I was watching over you. I have watched over you as much as I've watched over her, Dean. I still love you.'

Castiel saw the flicker of tenderness broach Dean's face, before it hardened again.

'I still love you too, Cas. But I don't know-'

'If you can forgive me? When I was doing my best to protect our family?'

They stared at each other, as Faith and Dax walked in, together, making a beeline for the sandwiches.

'Oh, man, peanut butter and jelly? I love these things!' Faith beamed, shoving half of one in her mouth straight away.

'We never had them at the home, did we? Stupid Peter Turner's allergies were too bad.'

'Stupid Peter Turner had allergies for everything,' Faith nodded, then noticed her parents stand-off. 'Hey, everything okay?'

'Everything's fine,' Dean said tersely. Faith rolled her eyes at Dax and mouthed "wow" at him. Dax nodded.

'Hey, so um, Castiel?' Dax said hesitantly. 'Do you know about this bullshit Gabe was saying? Faith's got to relive a bible story or something?'

Dean gestured wordlessly to Faith and Castiel sighed.

'I've heard rumours. I don't know which story she'll have to deal with, however.'

'She's not doing it,' Dean asserted himself. 'She's not getting chewed up by some whale, or-or, I don't know, curing people of leprosy-'

'Dean, it's going to be different.' Castiel promised. 'Michael and Lucifer, that was about the apocalypse. That was about destruction. But Father's behind this, how can it be anything but positive?'

'Yeah, well, maybe I need to talk to him. Because it sure as hell isn't happening.'

'Dad?' Faith asked around her third sandwich, which she was chewing furiously. 'Maybe it won't be so bad? I mean, I'm not looking forward to the idea of it, but Gabe's happy about this, and Mom supports it. Maybe I'll get a good one. Maybe I'll build an ark. I'll even take you and Uncle Sam on it.'

'Or maybe you'll disappear again. And I'm not down with that.'

Faith put her sandwich down, and slid off her chair, walking across the room and hugging her father tightly around the waist.

'Daddy? There's no way we're not going to stay in contact now. But I'm seventeen, you can't have me on house arrest either. I mean, we still barely know each other.'

Dean wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her tightly against his chest, kissing her hair as Castiel reached over and encircled them both, mindful of Faith's wings.

Dax watched the three of them as he ate his sandwich, sneaking his phone out of his pocket and taking a few surreptitious photos of the three of them. He was fairly sure Faith was going to need some kind of reminder of this fairly soon.


	14. Chapter 14

Gabriel appeared in the kitchen as the last sandwich was finished off, Sam and Charlie having appeared somewhere around Faith's sixth one, sitting talking to Dax about some book series as they ate. Gabriel rolled his eyes as he realised he had missed out.

'Guys, come on, you had PB and J and didn't think I'd want any?' He smirked as he headed into the cupboard, raiding it for the few supplies they had. 'When did you last go grocery shopping?'

'We picked up whatever they had at the liquor store,' Sam shrugged.

'They do bread at the liquor store?' Gabriel laughed.

'You'd be surprised. Dean calls it one-stop shopping.'

Dean flicked some dish water at his brother.

'You always got the essentials.'

'Anyway, I came for Faith. We need to talk, chica.'

He shut the cupboard door with a handful of liquorice, and nodded out of the doorway.

'Alone.' He spelled out. Faith rolled her eyes but stood up anyway, following him out into the hallway, stealing a liquorice strand and nodding towards her old bedroom.

'We could go talk in there, Dad's avoiding it still.' She whispered. Gabriel nodded, and walked in, stopping short of the doorway and turning to grin at Faith.

'You used to live in cotton candy.'

'Yeah, Mom showed me in here. Apparently I made Dad paint it this colour.'

'You're calling them Mom and Dad?' Gabriel noticed. She shrugged.

'They are my parents.'

'I know, kiddo, I'm just surprised. You're normally the world's biggest skeptic.' He arched an eyebrow, and she looked momentarily ashamed, before the room seemed to melt away and they were suddenly standing by a small stream in a sun-drenched wood. She skipped over a few stones until she hit a dirt path, Gabriel following close behind.

'What did you do, Gabe, when your dad showed up again?'

Gabriel nodded, though she couldn't see that.

'I get it, kid. You know, your mom's going to have to leave soon, sort out those anti-christ kids. Think you know one of them, Stevie?'

'Stevie?!' Faith shrieked, turning to glare at Gabriel. 'She's a hunter too! She's good! She-'

'Eats the heart of every monster she kills. And then she seals the bodies so we never noticed. She was using them to grow stronger. It's not going to be pretty, dealing with these antichrist kids.'

'Are you … is my mom going to die?'

'Castiel?' Gabriel screwed his face up. 'No! You kidding me Faith? He's worse than you for slipping out of seemingly impossible situations. Worse than me. But Dean might want to help him … if he's not over-stressing about you.'

Faith stopped moving, leaning up against a tree. She heard the words Gabriel hadn't said. Her mission had already been declared.

'Does Mom know yet?'

Gabriel shook his head, and pulled her into a hug.

'Oh, Faithcicles.' He sighed.

'Am I going to get crucified or something?' She whispered. 'Because I could totally rise again.'

'What are you, Jesus? Or worse, Dean and Sam?'

'Dad's died before?'

'A few times. Same with Sam. They're like cockroaches, they multiply rather than die.'

'Did you just refer to me as a cockroach baby?'

Gabriel pulled out of the hug, holding the short girl at arm's length.

'That's not what I meant, it was a joke … we're off the point. You're close with the story, but not quite there. You're not Jesus, Faith. That's not your role.'

'Then what's my role?' She demanded.

'You know, it's funny,' Gabriel mused, biting down on one of the liquorice strands. 'That your grandmother - your human one - had her namesake. And that it got passed on to you. I guess history repeats itself a lot.'

'Mary?' Faith said weakly. 'I'm Mary?'

'No, you're Faith. Remember that. But yes, you have things in common with Mary.'

'Yeah, I have to stay a virgin.'

'Mmm-hmmm, and that exists for your entire life, Faith, if you want to go anywhere but Purgatory when you die. Absolutely no hanky-panky with Dax.'

'I might as well just be a nun.'

'I think it's a little too late for that, Faith. I'd say you're about two weeks by now.'

'What?' Faith scowled at the angel, feeling confused. He looked pointedly at her stomach, and then back at her face.

'Think of it this way, he's not the messiah for humans, this time. He's something much, much bigger than that.'

'Gabe?'

'He's set to save the angels, Faith, all the fallen, power-hungry angels who don't have your mother's heart. Isn't that worth nine months of discomfort?'

' _Gabe!_ '

'Sorry kid, it's already happened. You're going to be a mom.'

'I'm seventeen, Gabe! And like we just said, I've still got my v-card! I can't be a mom!'

'I know it's hard to deal with-'

'Like hell you do! Have you had any kids, Gabe? No, you're an angel, you're like a Ken doll-'

'You've never seen my porn. Besides the point,' he waved a hand as she prepared to fully blow up. 'Faith, I was there last time, with Mary. I was with her every step of the way. And I will be with you, too. If you need me there when you talk to Dean and Castiel, I will be. If you want me to break the news myself-'

'And what about Dax? How's he meant to deal with this? Or does a lowly human like him just not figure in to what Heaven wants?'

Gabriel screwed his mouth up again.

'Your boy Dax doesn't even know what he is.'

'And what's that?' Faith demanded. Gabriel shrugged, trying to cover himself.

'The new Joseph.'

'You owe me better than this, Gabriel! Mary at least got a warning! She had someone going through it with her!'

'You've got me! And Dax, and Sam, and Dean, and Cas-'

'It's not the same. You know it's not the same.' She pushed past him, walking back the way she'd come.

'Faith?'

'I want my Mom and Dad!' She called back, stepping through the tree roots until she came back to the bedroom door. She slammed it behind her, and Gabriel slumped down a trunk, still chewing on the liquorice.  _That_ , he reflected sadly,  _could have gone a lot better_.


	15. Chapter 15

Faith didn't go back to her parents right away. Instead, she went charging out in the opposite direction to the kitchen, and found herself in the cavernous garage, filled with motorbikes and vintage cars. She spread her wings and took off up to the ceiling, flying in circles, trying to think, calling Gabriel every abusive name she could think of mentally.

How could she already be pregnant? HOW? Gabriel had said they'd only just decided, that only he knew. How could it be two weeks along already? But then she remembered how he'd hugged her, how he'd held her by her shoulders, how touchy feely he'd been. Did Gabriel plant the baby when she wasn't paying attention? Could he do that? Or was this all God? Did God wait until He was sure Faith was pregnant to announce this to Gabriel, knowing he had a big mouth?

She was so mad at the archangel. She'd believed they were friends, that he actually gave a damn about her, that when he spoke to her he was genuinely interested. And after all this time, he was keeping tabs on her like he was with Stevie and those other girls, waiting for the moment one of them messed up?

'Angels are dicks!' She snarled to herself, the words echoing around the garage.

'That's what Dean says,' a voice spoke up. She looked down, and saw her uncle leaning against the doorframe. 'I take it Gabriel didn't want to have a tea party?'

'I don't wanna talk about it, Uncle Sam.'

Sam nodded, watching her progress.

'You know, we've barely known each other any time, but Faith? Dean and Cas, they're so glad you're back. They're worried, sure, especially with this thing hanging over your head, this mission. But mainly, they're just relieved you're okay.'

'What do you get out of this, Uncle Sam? You said I used to bug you.'

'You did, but we're family. Nothing's more important to my brother than family. And who else but family can bug you even when you love them?'

Faith didn't answer, continuing to circle around the ceiling, dwelling on what Sam had said. So her dad thought family was the most important thing ever? She'd believed him when he said he would have looked for her if he knew she was still alive, and she was glad she'd read her father correctly, but this? How was Dean going to take this? Would he call himself Grandpa, throw himself into the role? Or would he be annoyed about the surprise that Gabriel had just slapped her with? She flew faster.

'Faith? Sweetie? You're making me a little dizzy.'

'Don't have to watch me,' Faith grumbled.

'Something's clearly bothering you.'

'No shit Sherlock.' She muttered to herself. 'Where's Dax?'

'Still talking to Charlie.'

'Can you get him? I want to talk to him.'

Sam nodded, leaving the doorway and walking back through the bunker as Faith continued to fly in circles, her brain racing. Moments later, Dax walked into the garage by himself, blinking around at the many cars and motorcycles parked, shining and pristine in the room.

'Faith? Sam said you wanted me. Everything okay?'

She flew down to her boyfriend, practically knocking him over with the force of her wings.

'We're escaping. I don't care how, I don't care where we go, we're going.' She breathed.

'But Faith, what about your parents? What about bonding with them? Dean especially, he doesn't want to lose you. And I know I've been cynical, but that guy's got a drinking problem, it's obvious. It's obvious as well, that he's holding back on it because you're here. Does that mean nothing?'

'Dax, please. I just need-'

'You just need to think about this, Faith. Whatever Gabriel said, whatever's going on, you can't just take off! Come on, everyone is saying you need to think before you act, now is not the time to run! What's Gabriel said to you?'

He spoke tenderly as he caught her chin in his hand, and tilted her face gently so they were looking into each other's eyes.

'Hey, why're you so upset?'

She pushed away from him, folding her wings tight about her.

'I'm not upset, I just wanna go.'

'No.' He said firmly.

'Dax-'

'Look, we always do what you want, Faith, and that's fine. That's okay with me, because you want to save people and that's so freaking admirable of you. But this is one thing I want to do. I mean, come on Faith, you've been given the one thing we both always wanted. You got your family back! And okay, so they're dysfunctional and a little out there, but they're yours. I'd give anything to have my family back. Your family didn't burn, Faith, you don't know how lucky you are. You're not turning your back on them now.'

'Fine, you stay here and-'

'Don't you dare, Faith! We're a team, right? A package deal? I'm staying, so you stay.'

'You don't get it, Dax. This isn't about my parents, this is about something I have to do.'

'What did Gabriel say to you?' Dax demanded this time. 'Is he sending you somewhere that you can't tell me about?'

'No, not yet, anyway.'

'Talk to me, Faith. Come on, I deserve to know too.'

Faith began crying, the tears spilling out of her eyes as she batted them away, feeling increasingly frustrated as they never seemed to end. Crying was what weak people did.

'I'm going to get your Dad, okay? Stay here. Promise me?'

Faith just batted more tears away, as Dax settled her onto an old, bulbous-hooded Chevrolet.

'Don't move.' He begged her, before running out of the room, hurrying to the kitchen and back as fast as he could. 'Okay, they weren't in there, but Charlie was, she's gone looking for them, they'll be here soon. You'll see, Faith, we're in the best place we can be.'

Her response was to sob louder, her thoughts circling between hatred for Gabriel, and frustration at her tears. A sense of no control over her own life, and the worry of telling her boyfriend and her newly-discovered parents that she was due to have a baby. Not just any baby, some kind of angel-Messiah. And Dax was being so sweet, and so unusually assertive and - she was pretty sure she was having some kind of pregnancy hormone hit. No wonder Dax was panicked, she never cried. He put his arms around her awkwardly, not used to having to manoeuvre around her wings, as Castiel rushed into the garage. Both teenagers looked at him, slightly affronted, both expecting Dean.

'Faith? I've heard. Gabriel made sure I … are you okay?'

She snuggled further into Dax's arms, still crying hard.

'Castiel? What's going on?' Dax asked softly. Castiel barely paid him any attention, staring hard at the girl in his arms.

'It will be okay, Faith.' He tried to mimick Dean's normal gentle tones. She let go of Dax to grip her mother tightly.

'Can you please tell me what's going on?' Dax asked, his voice exasperated. Castiel looked down at Faith, who was borrowing into his chest hard. He began stroking her hair slowly, kissing the top of her head the way he knew Dean would, and then met Dax's glare.

'Faith's being trusted with a huge responsibility, Dax. I'm sure at the moment she's overwhelmed by everything. But it will get easier. Let her explain when she's ready.'

Faith squeezed her mother's midriff briefly.

'Thanks, Mom.' She whispered. Castiel smiled, despite the situation, and kissed her head again as Dean walked into the garage, his attention immediately caught by Faith curled up in Castiel's arms.

'Is she okay?' He asked as he hurried over to them, wrapping his arms around them both. Castiel shook his head, leaning in to Dean's hug, and all three of them were oblivious to Dax who slowly crept out of the room.

* * *

Dax was still feeling out of sorts about the whole Faith-found-her-parents situation. As much as he wanted to be supportive of his girlfriend, he felt an increasing chasm between them. She had turned to her parents over him for comfort, her guy-mom seemed to know what was bothering her without needing to have it spelled out, and no one seemed to think he needed to know anything. At least, he reflected as he walked into the meeting room and over to a bookcase, Faith had asked for him. She was still trying to talk to him, and she was still sort-of listening to him. He took a couple of books from the shelves, and sank into a comfortable seat in a well hidden nook, flipping through the pages slowly, trying to take in the words so he didn't have to dwell on the huge changes going on in their lives. He found himself reading about Chupacabra, which he had never heard of before.

He'd barely made it through three pages before he heard Sam and Charlie's voices drifting through the room, and soon, Dax found himself eavesdropping for all he was worth.

'So, what do you know about this Dax guy?' Sam was asking. 'I mean, he seems like a great kid, you found anything out?'

'Well, the house fire his parents died in sounds suspicious.'

'Mmm, Dean said Faith had something to do with it. He didn't really say much about it, but she confessed that Dax didn't know the truth. God knows what really happened.'

'So what, she's lying to him? What a way to build a relationship. And doesn't it feel weird to call her that? All I ever heard from Dean, even in his worst moments, was about Siobhan.'

'Yeah, well, it's totally Dean to completely give in to her. Anyway, what else did you find out?'

'Honestly, it's going to blow your mind. I got his real name from your friend Krissy, did some hacking - the FBI really needs to try harder to encrypt their files - and I got his parents names, his grandparents names, everything. And check this out.'

Dax could hear a piece of paper rustle nearby, and Sam's small chuckle.

'Dean's going to freak.'

'Are you going to tell him?'

'Who? Dean, or Dax?'

'Both. I mean, maybe Dax needs to hear it. It's gotta suck seeing Faith bonding with Dean and Castiel. Which, by the way, still freaks me out. He's all up in my business about being a lesbian and suddenly he has a boyfriend?'

'They were dancing around it for years. I'll tell them both, but give me some time. I don't want to screw it up.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So ... this is where Dax's part goes a bit weird. Sorry.


	16. Chapter 16

Dax had listened to Sam and Charlie's conversation as hard as he could, trying to take in all the details, feeling increasingly frustrated when they intentionally left things out. There were too many things they weren't saying, too many variables that relied on things they'd read or discussed previously. Dax wished they could talk the way they do in sitcoms, reiterating all the pertinent information so the audience would feel in the loop, however inorganic that actually was.

He wished, not for the first time, that he had Faith's confidence and arrogance. Just so he could have stood up, crawled out of his hiding place and demanded to know what Sam and Charlie were discussing. But he didn't, instead, he stayed in the comfortable chair, sinking into the padded leather, listening and trying to deduce what they were saying from the inferences.

They had passed through the meeting room together, going from the kitchen off into one of the other spaces, and Dax waited until he could no longer hear them, could no longer be caught eavesdropping, before he stood up, and headed back to the bedroom Dean had pointed him to the first night he and Faith had arrived.

Dax hadn't been sleeping easily in the bunker. He assumed it was because he was used to sleeping in the camper van on a single, flat mattress with Faith hogging most of the space. Dean giving them seperate rooms, with double beds inide; as pleasant as that was, Dax couldn't get used to it. There was too much bed, and not enough Faith.

All round, there was not enough Faith. She was so wrapped up in getting to know her parents, suddenly so submerged in the world of angels, that she was feeling increasingly distant. Whatever had gone on when Gabriel was talking to her, it had made that seem even more obvious to Dax. She had chosen Castiel over him, for God's sake! Okay, Castiel was her mother, and God knew Dax would be the same with his mother if he had her in his life still, but he would never push Faith aside for her. Ever. They had made a deal, years ago, and Dax had meant every word. He  _still_  meant every word.

Okay, so he was bookish, and Faith liked to take action. Okay, so he was quiet, and weighed things up before taking action, where Faith liked to wade in first, thinking she had everything sorted. So they were completely different. Dax had never felt it so acutely as he did then. He got to his room and closed himself in, slumping on the bed and thinking it over.

She had asked for him, earlier. She had wanted to run away. Maybe she had wanted their old life back, too. But it didn't feel like it, not any more. Because, as Dax was learning, he was entirely replacable. He could be completely replaced by a drunk and a gender-confused angel.

Dax wasn't slumped on the bed for long. His overthinking had an effect on his emotions, and for once, he had decided what he was going to do. He was the one acting. He began packing the few things he'd brought in from the camper van into his rucksack, and debated how to sneak away. He still needed gas, and he would need some money. Dax had a feeling that Sam and Dean had some squirrelled away somewhere. He just had to find where, and then take as much as he could in order to get far away.

He listened carefully at the door for any of the others, but didn't hear any movement. He guessed Faith was still in the garage with her parents, and Sam was probably still with Charlie, in one of the very many confusing parts of the bunker. Dax creaked open the door, peering out, and sneaking across the hallway when he didn't see or hear anyone.

The first room he ended up in was clearly the room Faith had been using. There were a few feathers scattered, molted from her wings. Her hip bag lay on the bench beside the bed, like it too had been forgotten in favour of her parents. Dax searched quickly through the room, hoping that Dean would have hidden the money there, that he trusted Faith enough for that. But there was nothing, not even a measly nickel, so he snuck out, shutting the door softly behind him, and creeping over to the next room.

The first thing Dax noticed, was the explosion of plaid everywhere, in various colours. Most of it was confined to the shirts strewn everywhere, but there was a check print on the blankets as well. He searched as quickly as he could through this room, pausing when he found pictures of two different women, one blonde and one brunette. Pausing to look at the pictures was a mistake.

'What're you doing in my room?' Sam's voice floated through the doorway. Dax looked up at him, almost cricking his neck to make eye contact, and tried to think quickly, to sass him back the way Faith would have.

'You have a habit of lurking in doorways,' Dax choked out, his nerves showing in his voice. So much for a clean get away.

'I hope you don't have a habit of breaking into people's rooms,' Sam frowned at him, stepping over the piles of plaid shirts and worn jeans to get to the gangly teenager. He stopped when he saw the pictures in Dax's hand. 'Why're you going through my stuff? What're you doing with Jess and Amelia?'

Dax blinked down at the photographs again, and shoved them back in the drawer they'd come from.

'Sorry, I was looking for something.'

'This?' Sam held out a small bottle, an amber liquid inside, slightly dusty but stoppered with cork and wax.

'What's that?' Dax shrugged. Sam stared hard at him.

'I think you know, Dexter Bellafontane.'

Dax rolled his eyes. He didn't know if he was more exasperated with Sam knowing - and using - his full, dorky name, or with the way Sam was acting like Dax would have a clue what he was on about.

'Lets get some things straight, Dexter. You're not kicking us out. We're Henry Winchester's grandkids, we're legacies. We have the right to be here. Whatever's happened before, it's not going to happen again. The world changes, okay? If you're going to carry on then you need to know and accept that-'

'What're you talking about?' Dax interrupted. Sam was talking to him the way he'd been talking to Charlie earlier, and unlike with Charlie, Dax didn't have a clue what Sam was blabbing on about.

'I'm not stupid, Dexter.'

'I never said you were, but this is going completely over my head right now.'

'You can drop the act.'

'What act? Sam, I wasn't … I don't know what that stuff is, okay? I just want to go now, whether Faith comes with me or not. I want to move on, okay? Like, I wanna carry on hunting monsters, saving people, the whole Hunter deal.'

'Fine, but you're not taking it,' Sam shrugged, like it was no big deal. Dax wasn't fooled.

'Like I said, with or without Faith. I'd prefer it with, but that girl has a mind of her own. If you hadn't noticed.'

'Seriously, Dexter, whatever this act is, however much you want to deny it-'

'Deny what, huh? What am I denying, exactly? And what is that stuff, anyway?'

Sam glared at him, slightly deadpan.

'Your invention. What's left of it, anyway.'

* * *

'What's going on?' Dean whispered over Faith's head to Castiel. Castiel's response was to kiss Faith's hair again, his eyes locked on Dean's. 'Come on, man, you're both freaking the hell out of me.'

Faith heaved a sigh, her shoulders rising up and almost knocking into Dean's jaw. He stepped back briefly for a moment to avoid the collision.

'Has she been told what this hairbrained angel job is? Is she having trouble telling Gabriel to shove it up his ass?'

'Dean, that's not helpful,' Castiel said quietly. 'She has months of discomfort ahead of her.'

'Discomfort like having an angel inside of her?' Dean's voice lowered into his typical angry growl.

'In a way.' Castiel nodded.

'Faith, say no. They can't possess you without your permission. Cas, I thought you knew better.'

'It's not a possession, Dean. And it's too late.'

'What's that meant to mean?'

'Daddy?' Faith interrupted timidly. 'Don't get mad. Please. It's bad enough … please, Dad, I need you right now.'

'What's going on, Princess?' Dean's tone was gentler, kinder, and Faith found herself dissolving into tears again, gripping hard onto Castiel.

'Is she possessed already?' Dean whispered to Castiel, who shook his head.

'It's not known if it's possible for an angel to possess a nephilim. I suspect not, from the trace of Grace in her. But yes, it's happened already.'

'When? And what? Because I'm still so confused.'

'Faith?' Castiel imitated Dean's kind voice. 'Do you want me to tell him?'

Faith shook her head, heaved another great sigh, and turned to face her father, not quite meeting his eye.

'Gabe said it'll save the angels. He said history had to repeat itself. And maybe it wasn't a coincidence that you named me what you did. I mean, not that Siobhan name-'

'Mary,' Dean supplied, his gaze sweeping up to where Castiel was now staring at the ceiling. 'Biblical Mar- no. No! Cas, how can you be okay with this?'

'Who says I'm okay with it?' Castiel looked hard at him. 'I don't want it for her either. I don't want to watch her suffer any more than you do. Any more than she does. But what do you want me to do, Dean? Go against my Father's Word? This baby has purpose.'

'I'm not ready to be a Grandpa. And don't give me that crap, Cas. Your father's word didn't mean squat when you were helping me take on the apocalypse. Or should I have said yes to Michael?'

'It's a different situation, Dean. That was Father's prediction on the outcome of the actions of his creation and it was other's actions who utilised it as Gospel. This is Him undoing that wrong, His way of forgiving Michael, and Raphael, and maybe even Lucifer if he's willing to listen. This is a solution-'

'Hey. HEY! Okay, I'm still here, I'm still pregnant and I still need help, okay? This isn't about you point scoring. I don't care about whatever crap came before. I just want an abortion.'

Faith struggled out of Castiel's arms, and ran from the room, crying once more. Dean looked pointedly at Castiel, who sighed and lowered his head.

'She won't be successful in attempts to remove the foetus. It will have angelic properties. You could kill hundreds of surgeons trying.'

'This is ass, Cas.'

'Yes, it is, but it must be so much worse for her.'

'I'll go talk to her. See if I can appeal to her human side. You talk to Gabriel, because I will gank that mother if I see him.'

Castiel nodded, and flashed out of sight, as Dean walked into Faith's childhood bedroom, where she was curled up on the small bed, cuddling a blanket. He watched her for a moment, before crossing the room and settling on the bed, on the tiny patch of mattress behind Faith's knees.

'I'm sorry, Princess. Cas and me, we weren't trying to ignore you, but this is huge. This is … it was easier to focus on that stuff, okay?' He rubbed circles gently onto her back. 'Trust me, kid, if we could make it any easier, we would. If I could take it away,' Dean shook his head, running a hand over his face, his other hand still circling on her back. 'Faith, you're not going through this alone, okay? I'll talk to Dax, if you want. You know you're going to have to tell him, don't you?'

She sniffed, burying her face into her pillow.

'He needs to know. I mean, it's not a normal pregnancy, but I'm pretty sure you're going to begin showing in a couple of months. It'll be easier now than later. And I get the feeling the angels haven't finished delivering the bad news.'

'Great,' Faith muttered into the pillow. 'Dad?'

'Mmm?'

'Did I not have anything better than a security blanket to cuddle as a kid?'

'You had Bear. I don't know what happened to her though, we only found a part of her  _that_  day. Sorry, Princess.'

'Dean?' Sam's voice floated down the hallway before Faith could say anything. She snuggled into the pillow further as Dean looked around. Sam marched into the room, holding Dax by the scruff of the neck. Dean barely batted an eyelid. 'We need to talk. You, me, Faith, and this one.'

'You're telling me,' Dean agreed. 'Meeting room?'

'No. Somewhere else. Just the four of us.'


	17. Chapter 17

Sam led the way through the bunker, down into the basement and into the room that, unknown to Faith and Dax, had once held the King of Hell. The entire way, he kept a firm grip on the back of Dax's shirt, holding it so high that Dax walked awkwardly, his arms pulling up and his feet barely touching the floor as he was marched along. Dean followed close behind, biting his tongue over Sam's rough treatment of the gangly nineteen-year-old. Faith followed her father, unable to see the way Sam was manhandling her boyfriend, at least until they reached the room and Sam pushed him into the devil's trap.

'Hey!' She complained, as Sam pointed to the small metal table and fold up chair, glaring at Dax.

'Sit.' Sam demanded. Dax looked like he wanted to argue back, but thought better of it, and collapsed into the chair as Dean held his hand out, keeping Faith back as Sam leaned over the table, fists supporting him as he towered over Dax.

'Here's how this is going to play. You're going to confess to everything, or you're going to get the Winchester treatment.'

'Confess to everything?' Dean muttered to Sam.

'You have no idea, Dean.' Sam said back over his shoulder, before focusing back on Dax. 'You're lucky you're not strung up already.'

'Faith, shut the doors.' Dean squeezed her arm as he spoke.

'Dad, I-'

'Please. Just trust me.'

Faith hesitated for a moment, before doing as Dean asked, standing beside him again once the four of them were securely in the room. Dax ignored Sam and Dean to focus on Faith.

'Are you going to let them treat me like this?'

Her eyes flickered up to her father's face. Dean was concentrating wholly on Dax. She looked at her boyfriend herself.

'Maybe you should just say what Sam wants you to say, Dax.'

'I'd listen to Faith.' Dean added. Dax rolled his eyes.

'I wasn't lying, Sam! I don't know what you're on about!'

'Remember Cuthbert Sinclair?' Sam asked Dean conversationally. 'That fruit cake?'

'Mmmm, I remember he wanted me for an exhibit in his house of crazy.'

'You ever wonder who nominated that douchebag for the Men of Letters? His mentor?'

'God, no.'

Sam straightened up, reached into his jacket pocket and passed Dean a few pieces of paper, folded roughly. Dean gave Sam an exasperated look before he began reading, the small smirk on his face dropping off as he got further and further into whatever it was Sam had dug up. Faith tried, and failed, to peer over her father's shoulder and read the pages herself.

'What's going on?' She finally asked, as Dean's face turned red and his neck muscles tensed. Sam glared at Dax.

'Well? Don't you think your girlfriend deserves to know? Or are you going to keep lying to her?'

'I haven't lied to her! You think I can?' Dax spluttered. Dean looked up from the papers, squinting at Dax for a moment, before going back to the writing.

'I'm sure there are ways to get around the mind reading.' He told the papers.

'Faith, you were right, we should've left ages ago now. These guys are crazy.'

Faith looked at her father again, before peering at her boyfriend like she couldn't work out what was going on.

'Faith, come on. Call them off, and lets go.'

'No,' she sounded unsure as she shuffled closer to Dean, resting her head against his arm. 'You were right, we need to stay. I need to stay. I've got what we both wanted, right?'

'Focus, Dexter. You still have a lot of talking to do. I think Faith would rather hear it from you than from us.'

'I don't know what you're talking about!'

'He picks the hard way, I guess?' Sam looked at Dean again, who pushed out his lower lip as he nodded.

'Works for me, I'm a little rusty. Could use some practice.'

Sam smirked, heading towards a wall hidden in darkness. Faith could no longer see her uncle, but they all heard the chink of a metal chain, a soft clinking that seemed to echo in the silence of the room, before Sam came back and roughly handled Dax, shoving his wrists into the handcuffs, forcing the neck cuff around him, and finishing off with the leg cuffs, before Dax could even try to fight back. Faith gasped, and jumped further into Dean's side, grabbing hold of his arm.

'Princess, maybe you should leave. This could get ugly.' Dean whispered. Faith shook her head, her eyes open wide, as Sam leaned over Dax. Dean passed Faith the papers as he walked closer to Dax, standing the other side from Sam. 'You're running out of time, Dexter, before Faith reads what's been in the archives for hundreds of years. So are you going to tell her?'

Dean's tone had changed, his voice was deeper and rougher, and something in the tenor made Faith shiver. She'd heard her father like this before. Whatever issue Sam suddenly had with Dax, that Dean was apparently now up to speed with, it was enough for Dean to go Hunter Mode. But he hadn't been like this the few days they'd been back in the bunker. She felt the need to read the papers, to see why her father had turned so … alpha male.

'Or maybe, we can just work around this,' Sam pulled a small bottle out of his pocket. Even in the dim basement, Faith and Dean could make out the amber liquid inside, that almost seemed to glow. 'We could flush it.'

'I think the plants outside would love a good watering. Feel like getting your fingers green, Sam?'

'Good idea. Hey, maybe my brother and I will drink it. What happens with more than one drop, huh Dexter?'

'I don't know, can you please just-'

'Just pour it on the floor, man.' Dean rolled his eyes.

'No!' Dax sat up straight, his eyes bugging wide open. Sam looked satisfied.

'Thought so. Ready to talk?'

Dax looked up at Sam, apparently weighing him up. Sam leaned closer, towering over the scrawny geek-chic boy.

'Let's just refresh our memory here, Dexter. You've read the Carver Edlund books, right? They're all based on events my brother and I lived through.'

'And they barely even begin to touch on the crazy,' Dean agreed.

'So you know we've taken on pagan Gods, angels, archangels, demons-'

'We've been to Hell, we've taken on Lucifer. Death's a friend of mine.'

'Rugaru's, Wendigos, ghosts, witches, dragons, fairies, leprechauns, if it's been invented, we've killed it.'

'And you, Dexter, you should be worried. Because when we kill? The thing stays dead.'

'You should be worried, because those books? They don't even begin to capture half of what went before, during or since.'

'Like my brother getting hooked on demon blood, or losing his soul.'

'Like my brother torturing a demon using methods he learned in Hell.'

'Like Cas playing God.'

'We destroyed a heck of a lot of Leviathan from purgatory.'

'Basically, Dexter, you're going to sing like a canary. And then you're going to leave my daughter the hell alone.'

Dax's eyes shot to Faith, and she had a moment of misgiving. Who was she meant to side with, here? Her boyfriend, the longest constant in her life? Or the man who helped to make her? She looked down at the sheaf of paper in her hand once more, and began to read.

'Huh, guess you're out of time there, Dexter. So, what are the ingredients in the elixir? Did you always know what Faith was?' Dean's voice was dangerously pleasant. Dax remained silent, pale-faced, and sullen. 'Did you need my girl to make more?'

'It's not like that!' Dax finally blurted. 'Dean, I-'

'It's in all the records, Dexter. You never forget. Each time, every cycle, it's all there. How many centuries has it been now? When did you make that last lot?'

'Fine, okay? Fine! I never forget. Never. But Faith wasn't, she's not … she understands, okay?'

Faith's eyes swept up, to where Dax was looking at her, pleading with her.

'Faith,' his voice cracked halfway through her name. 'I meant every word.'

'You're how old?' Faith demanded.

'Nineteen.'

'Dax,' she growled, in a near perfect imitation of Dean's irate voice.

'It's a cycle, like Sam said. I never live past fifty. One drop is enough for a cycle. Sam's probably holding three thousand years in that tiny bottle.'

'What about your family?' Faith demanded.

'I have to die, Faith! I'm reborn again, a new family each time, until I ditch out and come to the bunker. So yes, they were my family, the people fed to the vampires. But I never expected to see you there, slicing at their necks like even at six years old you could handle a blade. You were wild back then, and I-'

Sam punched Dax in the face, hard, breaking Dax's nose and splitting his lip.

'I swear to God, if the next words out of your mouth were about how you tamed Faith, I will kill you myself.' Dean practically whispered.

'You didn't see her! You don't know!'

Dean looked up at Sam, who slid something onto his knuckles and struck Dax on the face again. Dax screamed against tightly closed lips, blood bubbling out of the corner of his mouth anyway, and a bruise already forming on his chin.

'Wait!' Faith rushed forward, still confused about what was going on, about what she was meant to feel. 'Dad, please?'

Dean looked at her blankly, his lips pressed together. But he nodded slightly, and Faith rounded the table, sliding onto it and pressing her fore finger and middle finger against Dax's forehead. His face healed, and Faith screwed up her eyes in concentration.

'Faith,' Dax said quietly. 'You're not coming in. Send them away and we'll talk.'

Faith's hand hovered just in front of Dax's face as she processed what he'd said. Dean was right, Dax knew how to block her, and that just added to her level of confusion.

'Did you ever care about me, Dax?' She asked pitifully. He raised his chin in defiance, and said nothing, even as the tears continued to fall down her face. 'Why are you being such an asshole? Don't you hear them? They're going to kill you, Dax! So please, just talk.'

'Not with them around.' Dax insisted.

'Dude, you're cuffed, you can't move, how about you realise there's no room for negotiation?' Sam sniggered briefly, humourlessly. 'And maybe take Faith's advice?'

'Come on, Faith, we've been there for eleven years, we don't even know these guys. Why're you taking their side? Are you scared of them?' Dax acted as though Sam hadn't spoken. 'You're my girlfriend, you should be fighting to get me out of this, not siding with them! They've really done a number on you.'

Faith slid off the table, walking away towards the door, her back to the three of them.

'You don't have to be scared, Faith.' Dax murmured. Faith folded her arms as her wings swept around her. 'Just because he says he's your father, it doesn't mean you owe him a thing. Guy's so drunk he probably doesn't know what the hell he's saying.'

Faith left the room, only just overhearing her father inform Dax casually that he was a better shot when he'd had a straight fifth. She climbed the stairs back into the main part of the bunker, and eyes blurring with moisture, she ran straight into Castiel.

'Mom,' she sniffed, cuddling in close. Castiel hugged her back automatically, without any question about why she was upset.

* * *

Castiel had let Faith cry her way into silence, her tears and snot saturating his shirt as she howled out her confusion, before he led her gently into her childhood bedroom, curling up on the small pink sofa with her as her wings circled them both.

When she was calmer, sniffing occasionally but no longer shuddering with emotion, Castiel stroked her hair and nuzzled his chin against her forehead.

 _Did you wish to discuss what's upset you?_  She heard his voice in her head.

_Dad and Sam, they were practically torturing Dax. And I wanted them to stop, but then the stuff Dax was saying … I don't know what to think._

Castiel didn't answer straight away, though he continued stroking her hair gently.

_Dean has had a tough life, Faith. He protects what he considers important, and he's fierce about that. If he considers Dax to be a threat, he will act on the impulse. I don't understand why he would believe Dax to be a threat-_

_Something about the Men of Letters? They all talked way over my head. Mom? Is Dad … I mean … why do you love him?_

Castiel smiled to himself.

_I don't know why, Faith. I've loved him since I first saw him, that's all I know._

_Tell me about how you met, cheer me up._

Castiel laughed, kissing Faith's head and wrapping his arms tighter around her.

_Your father had been cast down to Hell in exchange for Sam's life. He didn't know it at the time, but he'd been manipulated by demons to be in the perfect place to begin the apocalypse. I was sent to save him, to pull him from the pit. He was just a soul in the pit, but I could see everything, all the good, all the bad, all the pain. I worked as hard as I could to heal his soul, to heal his body. I knew he was something special. And then I talked with him, and he was abrasive and arrogant and rude. And yet, he still intrigued me. The more I got to know him, the more I understood how wonderful humans could be. I can see why my Father favoured them._

_It took me a while to be sure of how I felt, and we both made some huge mistakes along the way. But Dean has taught me so much about human emotions, and their creativity, and their resilience. Dean has taught me so many things, Faith. But I knew he wouldn't feel about me the way I feel about him, not without some prodding. I watched him, I saw how he was about women, and then the perfect opportunity came up. Cassandra prayed for me, one of my vessels. She needed my help. I told her what I needed of her, and she agreed to everything. She knew all about Dean._

_And then he saw me as Cassandra, and he changed towards me. He acted like I'd hoped he would. It felt like, for a short while, he loved me too, but he never wanted to explore what was going on, and I was scared as well that our connection was based entirely on Cassandra's vessel, and not on me. He resisted me for a long time, even when you were born. I do wonder if his own father had an impact on his behaviour, whether it was ingrained that he would not be attracted to me so long as I was in this vessel._

_And then Cassandra was killed, because she trusted too easily and put her faith in the wrong person. And you came here, and he began warming to me. He wanted us to be a proper family. He wanted you raised right. He started loving me back._

Faith listened hard, hearing words Castiel wasn't saying, feeling the way his human heart beat faster every time he said Dean's name, and she knew that Castiel wasn't even touching on the way he truly felt about Dean. She had overheard enough between her parents to know that Dean thought Castiel didn't care as much as he did, but she knew the truth just from this conversation. There was nothing Castiel would not do for Dean.

 _But you don't seem very together now_ she couldn't help but point out. Castiel shrugged.

_It will be hard for you to hear, maybe, but losing your child does odd things to people, to their relationships. Dean was destroyed when he thought you were dead, and I did everything I could to try to find you. Maybe Dean thought that without you, there was nothing more to say. I don't know. He definitely feels betrayed by the fact I was involved in your life in some way the past ten years, though he will never understand how little I was allowed to be part of it. He'll come back around, Faith. Because he loves you, and I know he loves me. And we're both going to help you through this pregnancy. Whatever you need, Faith, just ask._

_Can you save my boyfriend from my dad?_

Castiel kissed her forehead again, before disappearing from view. Faith knew he was doing exactly what she'd asked, and intervening between Dax, Dean and Sam before too much happened between them. She felt an uncomfortable cramp in her stomach as she realised that, as long as they might have been together, as reliable and familiar as Dax seemed to her, she would never feel for him the way her parents felt for each other.

She looked down at the papers, still scrunched in her hand, and resumed reading the notes that the Men of Letters had made and preserved over the years, all of them concerning the bright and enigmatic Dexter Bellafontane. The cramp in her stomach grew worse as she read about the years of gradual manipulation of the Men of Letters, of how he was trying to create an immortal army of intelligent men. How Cuthbert Sinclair was his most promising protege. Someone had scribbled in sloppy hand "Ah well, ganked that bitch with Cain's blade" in the margin of that entry. Faith could see why Sam and Dean had jumped to the conclusions about Dax that led to his possible torture. What was she going to do now?


	18. Chapter 18

Faith refused to go back down to the basement. She needed time to think, before dealing with Dax again. To figure out what had happened to lead her to this point, where she had no idea whether she - like her father - had been manipulated into a situation for someone else's gain, or whether Dax was right, and she was so desperate to have her family alive and kicking and wanting her back that she was letting them use her.

The only thing she could grasp onto was that there had been another presence in her life, for almost as long as Dax had been there. The only other person that she might be able to trust. The first person to promise to help her, no questions asked. She could feel the decision brewing, but for once she felt like listening to everyone else. Something in her gut told her to hold back.

_Don't promise yourself to the angels yet. They have you pregnant, let that be enough for now._

The difficulty with that thought was, Faith knew, that by having this baby, going through with the birth, she was already promised to the angels. And she hadn't had the choice.

_But it's like that quote in Harry Potter Dax got excited about and read out to you. Something about your attitude to a battle you're forced to fight makes all the difference in how you deal with it._

So okay, she was pregnant. She was going to have to deal with that fact. Fine. But she could either be reckless and carry on hunting even when she got to eight months, or she could ask to stay here, in the comfort of the bunker, and ask Gabriel to help deliver the baby, while she researched vitamins and supplements and exercises that pregnant people could still do.

She knew Gabriel was hanging around, talking to her mother whenever they could, away from her father and uncle, who were having their own discussions away from anyone with a grace. Faith knew they were debating between themselves how they could torture Dax without upsetting her. Whatever Castiel had said when she pleaded for help, it had worked. Maybe he held more power over Dean than he knew?

She walked through the bunker, looking for Gabriel, eventually finding him in the room with the suit hanging up, sitting the wrong way on a chair as Castiel sat on the bed. Castiel smiled up at Faith as she walked in, opening his arms for her to walk into. He seemed awkward with the motion, Faith noticed, but she knew affection didn't come naturally to him. He was making the effort for her. So she walked straight into her mom's arms, snuggling close the way she'd imagined doing a thousand times in the orphanage.

'How are you feeling?' Castiel asked quietly.

'Okay.' Faith's voice was barely audible.

'Yeah, right kiddo. Your mom's brought me up to speed on everything. So you're pregnant, and your dad wants to kill your boyfriend. Sounds like a regular episode of  _Teen Mom_.' Gabriel smirked.

'Thank you for reminding me that I will be a teen mom, Gabe. It's what I needed to hear.' Faith sighed. So much for having a heart-to-heart with her angelic uncle. Castiel squeezed her gently, just for a moment, and Faith smiled despite herself. 'Gabe? Can I talk with my mom? Alone? Like, stop listening in too, jackass?'

Gabriel laughed, and stood up from the chair walking over and ruffling her hair.

'Sure thing, kiddo. You can be the one to tell him to shove it up his ass this time, rather than passing the message through me.' Gabriel looked at Castiel. 'See you later, little bro.'

Gabriel walked out the door, closing it softly behind him. Faith stayed curled up on Castiel's lap, waiting for him to say something. Gabriel had thrown yet another issue into the mix, Faith's attitude towards Castiel when he was just an unknown angel to her. But Castiel didn't mention it, merely stroking her hair gently and resting his chin against her head. She had chosen to talk to Castiel on a whim, hoping that his role as her mother would mean he actually cared about her opinion, not his own aims. He was her mother, he was supposed to love her, no matter what, right?

'Mom? Is everything going to be okay?'

Castiel rubbed her arm softly.

'I can't tell you that, Faith.'

She closed her eyes, willing herself not to get upset again.

'I mean, Dad's not going to hurt Dax, is he?'

'Not unless he does something stupid. I did warn him to let you deal with Dax.'

'Did you know what Dax was? You used to give us both messages through uncle Gabe, I just-'

'No, no I didn't. Faith, everything I knew of you, I knew from Gabriel. So all I knew was that you were the most obviously reckless of the girls we were watching, and the closest you had to a conscience was your boyfriend. I only knew what you looked like from descriptions Gabriel supplied. I wish I could have seen you, even one time, but it wasn't wise. Besides, most of Heaven was sure that you would be one of the anti-Christ. We thought Stevie would prove to be the missing nephilim. She seemed the most promising. I could have bonded with her, and tried to kill you.'

Faith shivered, and snuggled in closer.

'But you're sure I'm me?'

She felt Castiel's laughter more than she heard it, the vibrations of his chest nudging her head, and he stroked along the edge of her wings.

'Completely sure.'

'It just feels too good to be true. That I suddenly found my family again, that you were here all this time.'

Castiel hugged her even closer.

'For you, maybe. And Dean and I, we'll do anything to make it easier for you, as much as we can. But I promise you, Faith, we're your parents.'

'And I can trust you both? And uncle Sam?'

'Faith,' Castiel breathed, and touched her forehead gently. She reeled back slightly, not used to being on the recieving end of implanted visions. They were small visions, short and sweet, but Faith paid attention to every one, greedy for more knowledge about who she was.

_Dean was walking closer, holding a tiny girl, as Castiel admitted he couldn't understand what had happened to Cassandra. The tiny girl looked at him, and reached out as her face broke into a huge smile, practically falling out of Dean's arms. Dean had to work hard to keep the little girl from falling to the ground as they got closer, when Castiel happily took her, cuddling her tight. Dean was talking, planning what they could do, his voice gruff and emotionally-disconnected._

_Dean and Castiel debating hunting with a toddler in tow, all of them sat in a car, Sam suggesting daycare and babysitters, ignoring Dean's sneer, as Castiel reached across the leather seat and took the tiny girl's hand, rubbing his thumb over it and smiling reassuringly, her teddy bear staring at him._

_Castiel removing two tiny arms from his neck, standing the little girl on the floor of a noisy room, where she stood awkwardly, watching other young children play, her outfit a mish-mash of dress-up clothes and menswear. When a woman spoke to her, she stood back onto Castiel's feet, reaching out for Dean, who stooped down and talked softly to her, pointing around the room to encourage her to interact._

_Castiel assuring the little girl that they could go to a new daycare, and the little girl demanding him, and Dean, and Sam, and her teddy bear, with her always. Her family. And Dean was trying to pacify her._

_The tiny girl, crying earnestly as Dean hugged her on his bed, stroking her hair and holding her carefully so he didn't knock her wings, talking quietly, kissing her head in between, his tone gentle and soothing, his eyes flickering up occasionally to Castiel, who stood nearby watching. Every time they did, his happiness, the depth of his emotions, they were all clear to see. Dean was content, despite his daughter being upset._

_The little girl, facing Castiel, regarding him wearily as he asked about her wings. Him reaching closer, touching the tops of them, his hands glowing slightly as her shoulders relaxed, before Castiel asked her if she could hide them._

_Castiel mixing up various things from the cupboards as Siobhan played with a goldfish. The food being served, and the girl tucking in as Dean showed up, talking to Castiel and then trying the food himself. Dean getting up, leaving the room, giving Castiel an awkward hug as he did, and the girl asking Castiel if they loved each other before he held her close, her head tucked under his as he stroked her hair._

_Sam cooking pancakes at the stove in the kitchen, the little girl on an upturned crate beside him, cheering every time he flipped a pancake over while Castiel and Dean watched, everyone smiling as they chatted, Sam playing up to the girl's attention, making the breakfast a show._

And Faith pulled away from Castiel's fingers. She knew he had more he would want to show her, but that was enough for now.

'We were all happy,' she muttered.

'Yes. And we were close too, I promise.' Castiel kissed her forehead again. 'Faith, we can't change the last fifteen years, but we can rebuild. I know you're going to still doubt whether or not you trust us, and I think I understand that, but we're going to protect you either way.'

'It's funny,' she sighed, tucking her wings in close, 'I thought if I ever finally met you, you've be this over-bearing guy who thought he was always right and wouldn't give a crap about me, really. But I think right now, I trust you better than anyone else.'

She didn't see the way Castiel smiled at that.

'I had to give Gabriel clear messages he couldn't rewrite. Though I'm sure he did.'

'He didn't like me bad-mouthing you.'

'That doesn't sound like Gabriel.'

There was a small silence between them.

'Are you not mad that I've been cussing you out?'

'No. Like you said, you didn't know me. I think it would hurt to hear now, however.'

'It's not going to happen now.'

Castiel beamed again, as Faith changed the subject.

'So, you and Dad, are you married?

'No.'

'Why not?'

'Faith …' Castiel moved her off his lap, and stood up, moving towards the closet, his back to her. He sighed. 'It's far too complicated. Dean wouldn't want to, I'm not sure we could.'

'Why not?'

'Faith,' he leaned against the closet door. 'Dean took years to come around to the truth about our connection. It's still tenuous-'

'Then why did you show me? You showed me the two of you too! And I know Dad still loves you!'

'Regardless, Dean is not the kind of man who would stand up and declare his emotions in private, much less in front of a crowd of people we barely know. He shows me how he feels in the only ways he knows. Like when I ask him not to hurt the boy who has damaged the Men of Letter's reputation for centuries because he means something to our daughter. I've had to learn, Faith, to cherish how he shows it. And you're fortunate, because he doesnt hold back as much with you, even in this brief time you've been made aware of him. Maybe that's why you don't understand.'

'There are ways you could get married, officially, in the eyes of God and all! If I worked on it, if I could talk to Dad, convince him-'

'No, Faith,' and Castiel sounded angry as he turned around, the lights flickering and the outlines of his own wings showing momentarily. 'Dean comes to me for it willingly, or not at all. I will not force him to love me. No one should do that.'

And Castiel left the room as Faith curled up on the bed, feeling bad. She didn't mean to upset Castiel, she had just been excited to see their relationship when it had been good, and equal, and something worth saving. She already knew it was better than the one she'd been in for eleven years, which if she was honest, was more about friendship than romance. They'd barely even kissed, and when they shared a bed, it was out of habit, something they'd done since the orphanage when Dax had woken in the night with bad dreams, or Faith had wandered down the corridor looking for comfort.

She finally started thinking about Dax, about the gangly, nerdy boy who was locked in the basement, alone and away from the only person he'd really spent any time with over the last eleven years. The boy who lived for books, and comic references, and bow ties worn with short-sleeved, pattern shirts. Who pushed his thick-framed glasses up his nose constantly, and twirled his thick fringe whenever he thought deeply. Whatever else he was, he was her best friend, her makeshift family. She needed to talk to him, just the two of them, like he'd been asking for when he was dragged down there. She just had to be smart about it, so she didn't get hurt, so Dean didn't get mad, so Dax wasn't offended. If nothing else, she had to tell him her mission from the angels, and why she was putting her mother first.


	19. Chapter 19

Faith stepped cautiously down the thick concrete stairs into the men of letter's basement, picking her way carefully through so she didn't disturb Dean or Sam and have them force her out of the room. Every footfall seemed to echo around the dim room, even as she tried to tiptoe towards the sectioned off area that Faith knew Dax was sat behind. She peered around the door and saw him sitting in the chair, still heavily cuffed, his head drooping forward as though he were reading something. She assumed he was asleep, and crept into the room.

'Where's Daddy?' Dax's voice was croaking and hoarse, like he had not had anything to drink in days. Faith tried to count back how long it had been since she had left Dax in the room.

'Upstairs, with the others. Do you need a drink?'

'Don't act like you care, Faith.' Dax tried to sound venomous, but the poor quality of his voice ruined the delivery. She opened a water bottle she had brought with her anyway, sticking a straw in and placing it on the table edge near him so he could lean over to drink. 'I don't want your pity.'

'And I don't want your excuses. Dax, you owe me. You wanted to talk, just you and me, so talk.'

'Wow,' Dax sat back, ignoring the water completely, his eyes scanning Faith's face as he wriggled his glasses back up his nose. Faith wanted to reach over and push them up for him, but she didn't want him to fight her as she did so. 'They've really got to you. So what, are you here to torture me? Is that why the trangel told Sam to stop?'

Faith frowned at the term Dax had used.

'Trangel?'

'Yeah, tranny angel. Come on Faith, the guy -  _guy_  - is your mom? What is that?'

'I don't expect you to understand.'

'And he thinks he's an angel? He's crazy, your dad's a drunk and your uncle is a fucking psychopath. And somehow they've convinced you that what, this is the perfect family? And of course Gabriel sides with them all. He was probably always aiming to drag you here.'

Faith forced back the urge to hit Dax herself.

'You wouldn't get it-'

'I'm your family, Faith. We agreed that years ago, didn't we? You and me, against the world. You're the one going back on it.'

'And you're the one who's lied through their teeth since the day we met!'

'I ran away, right?'

Faith glared at Dax, trying to fight the prickling sensation that came when her eyes filled with tears. She did  _not_  want to cry in front of Dax, not right then.

'I was trying to protect you!'

'Like your parents were trying to protect you?'

'Why are you being such a bitch?!' Faith exploded, punching the table. 'God, Dax, just be honest with me! Maybe I can stop my dad from actually killing you! I don't know what's happened to make them so pissed off with you, but I know it's big-'

'Shut up, Faith.' Dax looked away from her, as far as he could in the neck cuff. 'And just leave me alone. You've managed that for what, three days now?'

'Are you serious? Dax, I've had other things going on! I've had my angel duty handed to me-'

'Great, the angel thing. You still buy that?'

Faith glared at her boyfriend from across the table.

'How many times have you seen Gabriel flash in and out?'

'It's something certain members of the Men of Letters could do. They never gave me access to those files before.'

Faith felt her heart sink. Dax had been so interested in all the books and documents that were in the bunker, hadn't he? And Sam and Charlie had been so welcoming, so glad for another member of the dork squad that they'd let him right in. How had she not seen what Dax was, before? How had she never questioned any of his motives? Her mom was right. She was right. Just like Dean, she was easily manipulated. She was going to give it right back.

'Great for you, Dax, after how many centuries? You finally got let into one of the big secrets. Is anyone going to get let into yours?'

Dax stared blankly through her, as though she wasn't there at all. Faith felt venom leaping up through her oesophegus like bile, and she wanted to hurt him as badly as he was hurting her with his lack of empathy.

'Yeah well, have one of mine for free, dickbag. I'm pregnant.'

She shoved away from the table, shutting the doors behind her with a force big enough to bang them together, and ran up the stairs, crying once more. She ran straight into Dean's room, which was empty, cuddling up under the covers and breathing in the smell that reminded her somehow, of security and safety.

* * *

Dean had been out in the garage for most of the morning, while Sam researched some more on Dax with Charlie, and Castiel planned to take on the antichrist children with Gabriel. He had decided to do something nice for Faith, to cheer her up after being told about her pregnancy, and her role in the world of angels. He knew a little something about how much it sucked to have them expect something from her.

So he was fixing up the camper van, which had been sitting idle just outside the bunker for close to three weeks. The first thing he noticed was the gas gauge, which was showed there was at least half a tank in the beast still. Hadn't Dax and Faith said the first night that they were totally out of gas? It started up okay, and Dean drove the van into the garage before getting to work on tightening the engine, checking the oil, testing the brake pads. He was totally lost in his work when Castiel came into the garage, smiling as he saw Dean's feet sticking out from under the camper van.

'Something on your mind, Dean?'

'Trying to cheer Faith up. She hasn't taken to being pregnant by divine intervention well. Can't imagine why.'

Dean remained under the car, as Castiel perched on the hood of the Impala.

'She's stronger than you would think, Dean. You know, this was the argument we used to have when she was a child.'

'She's seventeen, Castiel, she still is a child.'

'And in the grand scheme of things, so are most humans,' Castiel shrugged. 'But I see a lot of you in her Dean, and she will cope. She will thrive. I promise you. She's coming around to what she has to face.'

'Are you sure about that?'

Castiel frowned at Dean's legs, which were the only part of him the angel could see.

'We were just discussing it, Dean.'

'Really? She's been a little distant the past couple days.'

'I know. I think finding out about her boyfriend has had an impact on her, but she still seems eager to know about her past. I'm hoping we can unlock something in her that would reveal what happened that last day. You know, she's repeating a lot of her old conversations.'

'Yeah? Like what?'

'Like you and me. She wants to know the state of our relationship.'

'I think I'd like to know that too, Cas.'

Castiel's eyebrows knitted together.

'Dean, I … I'm committed to you, you know that. What about Europe? What about the fact we have a child together?'

'What about how absent you've been for the past decade, Cas? What about the night Faith shows up is the first time for a while that you even touched me?'

Castiel forced himself not to react badly. He knew Dean was frustrated over some other issue and it was easier for him to fixate on this.

'Do you not think I wanted it? I wanted everything you did, Dean. I was the one pushing for our relationship, I was the one insisting on a date, I was the one who-' Castiel clamped his lips together momentarily, then changed tack. 'I love you Dean, and you know that. Everyone knows that, even Faith.'

'And she told you that?' Dean grouched, still under the camper van.

'Yes, Dean, she did. She wanted to know why we weren't married.'

The tension seemed to break as Dean began laughing.

'Oh man, she's still on that? She asked that when she was a kid too.'

'I think she'd like to know we were commited to each other.'

Dean slid out from under the van, and looked at Castiel appraisingly.

'We gotta be married for that?'

Castiel shook his head.

'No, but we should be on the same page, make her understand that we can be so different, and still love her, and still be in love with each other.'

'Even when you go off to hunt the antichrists?'

'Even then. I'll do my best to work it around our family.' Castiel walked closer to Dean, dropping to his knees and bending down to kiss a slightly greasy cheek. 'I do love you, Dean, and that never stopped.'

Dean opened his mouth to reply, and his attention was caught by someone standing in the doorframe. Gabriel was stood there, watching them.

'Don't stop on my account,' Gabriel smirked. Castiel stood up as Dean wiped his greasy hands on a rag. 'But I bring news from Dad. Cas, you have to go and get these antichrist, they have to be terminated before Faith gives birth.'

'Let's go-'

'I can't,' Gabriel shook his head. 'I've got to take Faith.'

'The hell you do! She just got home!'

'Yeah Dean, I do. She has to go to Bethlehem. The New Hampshire one, not the one in Isreal. She can't use her angel mojo, or drive, or anything decent. I've got to take her on foot.'

'I'm coming with you.'

Gabriel shot a look at Castiel, appealing for help.

'It's for the best if he does, Gabriel. No one would protect them like Dean, and she would feel more comfort in being with him. I wish I could come too.'

'Cas, you just said-' Dean growled. Castiel placed a hand on his arm.

'I know, Dean, but the timing is important and I can travel with you some of the way.'

'And what do we do about Dexter?'

'We'll leave him here with Sam and Charlie.' Castiel decided. 'Dax is the least of my concerns.'

'Because it's not angels versus demons? That kid is messed up! He's a monster, Cas-'

'And our daughter has an emotional connection to that monster. And we should exercise caution before condemning him to his fate. Right now, Dean, we have the chance to correct the natural order of things, to salvage Heaven once and for all. Doesn't that seem like a priority to you?'

Dean stared at Castiel, as though his eyes could communicate what he himself could not at that point. He knew he wanted to say something about his priority being his family, but even he wasn't sure what that would entail. He also wanted to point out that most angels were douchebags and he didn't care about what went on, really. But he knew well enough to know that telling Castiel that would upset him too much.

'My priority is seeing Faith through this alive.' He eventually growled out. Castiel turned to Gabriel.

'She'll be ready tomorrow. But let us tell her, please.'

Gabriel nodded, smirking at them, ignoring the glacial glares he was recieving from Castiel and Dean.

'We should tell her now,' Dean eventually muttered. 'She's probably sick of being kept in the dark about everything.'

He stood up and grabbed Castiel's hand roughly, ignoring the snigger that erupted from Gabriel as he marched with Castiel through the bunker, looking for any sign of Faith. They eventually found her curled up under Dean's blankets, fast asleep, cuddling his pillow tightly. They looked at each other, silently communicating whether or not they should wake her up and throw more issues her way.

'Why does she even have to travel, anyway?' Dean breathed.

'I don't know, Dean. I don't wish to question my father.'

Dean looked back at the girl snuggled in his bed rather than bite out an answer. He knew arguing over God with Castiel was pointless.

'This sucks. We were just back together.'

'Dean, we're not going to lose her. Not again. I won't let that happen. And Father wouldn't ask for her to do this without some reward.'

'You believe that?'

'I know you don't trust angels, but Father is different. He wouldn't be so cruel.'

'I've read the bible man, I know different.'

Castiel sighed, and rested his head against Dean's shoulder.

'He's changed, Dean. But can we please just drop this? We still have to tell Faith.'

'Let her sleep,' Dean decided, wrapping his arms around Castiel's waist. 'We'll tell her when she's not dopey from a nap.'

'And what would you do in the mean time?' Castiel asked. Dean raised his eyebrows suggestively, accepting Castiel's enthusiastic kiss as the angel realised the implication of his words. 'Maybe we should find somewhere more private?'

Dean's eyes flickered over to their teenage daughter, and then back to Castiel. He nodded and pulled Castiel back out of the room, across the hallway into the bathroom. He locked the door and pushed Castiel up against it, kissing him passionately as he stripped quickly, desperate suddenly for his angel.


	20. Chapter 20

Dean lay happily on the bathroom floor, on top of a fluffy rug that Sam had installed some time, Castiel stretched across his chest, both of them sweaty and exhausted, and very naked.

'That was better than ever,' Castiel sighed blissfully, kissing the nearest bit of Dean's skin he could find.

'Hmmm. Cas, come with us.' Dean looked up at the ceiling as he pleaded with the angel. Castiel kissed him again. 'Forget about the antichrist, just spend time with us.'

'I will when I can, Dean,' Castiel promised between kisses, working his way across Dean's chest. 'But I have to kill the antichrist. It has to be me.'

'Why?'

'Because I still have penance to pay. This is how my Father expects me to pay it.'

'Faith is going to need you.'

'I know. We'll stay in touch, Dean.'

'Why do you think she has to go to Bethlehem? I mean, I don't know that Bible story too good, but didn't Mary and Joseph have to go for some census?'

'I assume it's to parallel the story completely. Maybe it's because Bethlehem was also the birthplace of King David. I think he's in your bloodline, somewhere.'

'Is everyone in our freaking bloodline?'

Castiel laughed, resting the side of his head against Dean's chest now.

'Everyone who matters.' Castiel cuddled closer to Dean, who rested a hand on his shoulder. 'It'll work out Dean, and we'll be a family again, for real this time. But we should really get on, if you're leaving with Faith and Gabriel tomorrow then we need to discuss it with her sooner rather than later.'

'Yeah. Let me just grab a shower, then we can.'

'Should I shower also?' Castiel asked aloud, enjoying the way Dean's chest rose and fell and vibrated as he laughed.

'Come on, there's room for two.'

Castiel reluctantly crawled off of Dean, standing up and stepping into the bathtub, waiting for the hunter to follow him in, which Dean did momentarily. Castiel waited until the water was running, cascading off of Dean's slightly wrinkled skin, to bring up a subject that Gabriel had ruined earlier.

'Dean? Are we still forever?'

Dean reached closer, and nuzzled his nose against Castiel's.

'You're still keeping a spot warm for me in the afterlife, right?'

'Of course. I love you, Dean.'

'I love you, too.' Dean admitted quietly, pressing his lips tenderly against Castiel's. 'Always have, Cas.'

* * *

After they finished showering, and got dressed again, they headed back into Dean's bedroom, where Faith was laying in the bed, now wide awake, sitting up on the pillow and staring ahead of her. Her eyes refocused as her parents walked in. She took one look at their faces and sighed dramatically.

'Let me have it. There's nothing you can say that'll make me feel even worse.'

She saw the apprehensive look they swapped, and fought the urge to roll her eyes.

'Cas has to go find and attack the antichrist before you give birth. They're a threat to the baby. And you and me, and Gabriel, we have to go to New Hampshire. Hiking, no driving. We'll keep Dax here with Sam and Charlie.'

Faith climbed out of the bed, and walked up to Castiel, wrapping her arms around his waist and cuddling in.

'Give me an hour to pack.' She looked up at Dean seriously. 'And then we can go.'

'We're going in the morning.' Dean let her know, not missing the moment that she scowled in disappointment. 'Hey, what's happened?'

'I went to talk to Dax. But I don't want to talk about it. I just want to go.'

Dean embraced Faith and Castiel, sandwiching the small girl between the two of them.

'It'll be okay, Faith,' Dean promised, kissing her hair.

'Can I just concentrate on the baby? Please? I can't deal with everything else.'

'Anything you want, kid.'

'Can Mom please come with us?' Faith pleaded. Dean caught Castiel's eye, and saw the flash of pain that crossed them.

'I want to Faith. And hopefully it won't take long to find the other girls, and then I can join you both,' Cas promised. 'But I have to do this, okay?'

'I'll miss you.'

'I'll miss you too,' Castiel reassured her, resting his forehead against Dean's.

'Are we having a cheesy family moment?' Faith asked, and Dean smirked, before fishing his phone out of his pocket.

'Way to ruin the moment kiddo. Come on, fake a smile.'

He held the phone out, and took a couple of pictures of the three of them, sending them straight to Castiel and nudging Faith for her cell number, sent them to her as well.

'You'd better go pack and go to bed, Faith. We'll leave early in the morning, okay?'

Faith nodded, and squeezed Castiel's midriff.

'Stay safe, Mom.'

Castiel squeezed back gently.

'Don't worry about me. You've got enough to go on with. I don't envy you, sweetheart.'

'Thanks. Night.' She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Dean's cheek gently before pulling out of their hold and shuffling off into the room next door, where she'd moved her possessions, claiming her old room again. Dean and Castiel were still arm-in-arm, standing close together, almost fully embracing.

'She has a point, Cas. You need to stay safe. I can still remember Jesse. These girls are older, they'll be more powerful-'

'And they cannot get to this baby, which is what they will try to do. It won't be secret for long that Faith is pregnant, especially when she does know one of these girls.'

'She does?'

'Yes, Stevie McShae. They worked on a case together once. Gabriel was laughing about it for weeks.'

'What was the case?'

'Poltergeist. I don't know exactly what happened, but the way Gabriel tells it, by the time Faith and Stevie were done the Poltergeist was practically begging to be exorcised.'

'Do you know any of the others?'

'By name only. Cassidy, Flora and Max. But there are signs I can look for.'

'Can't Gabriel give you any hints?'

'He's shared all the information he can, Dean. I'll recognise them when I see them. You need to stop worrying too, and focus on Faith, please.'

'I've got room to focus on her and worry about you,' Dean shrugged. 'And I think I've had an idea for extra protection for her.' Dean kissed Castiel's lips quickly, and left the room, dialling a number on his phone. He looked around in the hallway, making sure he was alone as the person picked up on the other end.

'Dean?'

'Yeah, hey, it's me. I know, long time, no see, whatever. Um, look, I want to call in a favour, is that cool?'

'What do you need from me?'

Dean smirked. He was hoping it would be just that easy.

* * *

Faith had gone to her room as she had promised her parents, and sorted her possessions out, making sure she could stow as many weapons as possible in her hip bag and into her boots. She wasn't fooled by her parents light-hearted approach to the situation, she knew that there was going to be danger as they hiked. How could they not? Whether it was part of God's plan, or demonic sabotage when word spread that there was a pregnant nephilim on a mission from God, she was going to need to take care of herself as well. She knew the legends of her parents, as far as Dax had read out of those books, she knew they were both capable, but that didn't mean they could manage everything, not all at once.

She actually had a copy, one of Dax's favourites, stowed in her tops somewhere. She packed the basics of her clothes, and her spare ammunition into a rucksack, and then scooped the book out, reading it with a sense of derision. This Carver Edlund used a lot of flowery words, and his description of her father and uncle was barely related to the two men she knew. But maybe twenty-five years ago, it was more accurate.

This book was about fighting fate, where Carver was written into the story as an awkward man called Chuck who was easily intimidated by the Winchester brothers. They were apalled by the idea of the books, and the writing, and how they couldn't fight the hand that they'd been dealt with. Faith knew that feeling. She couldn't help noticing some parallels in the book to the things she had noticed - how close, even on paper, that her father was to her mother; how her father took charge, to hell with destiny; how Sam was beyond smart, and beyond expectations. He'd surprised Faith, after all, in the few weeks they'd known each other. He wasn't nearly as awkward as she had expected. She read the entire novel, not stopping until it was gone midnight. And though she knew when she finally got to the end of the book that she had to go to bed, she wasn't prepared for that. She went walking through the bunker, and almost immediately bumped into Gabriel.

'Hey chica, how're you doing?' he smiled.

'Okay. So, we're hiking from tomorrow?'

'Yep. It'll be fine, Faith. Dean's kick ass, and I have my archangel mojo. Just in case.'

'Yeah, just in case. Gabe? What's going to happen with Dax?'

Gabriel shrugged, his expression clearing, as though he couldn't care less about Dax.

'Focus on the baby, Faith. I'm sure he's fine in the basement. Someone brought him some water earlier.'

'That was me.'

'Sam wants to interrogate him further. He'll be singing like a canary before long.'

'I don't doubt it. Gabe? If it comes to it, if it's a choice between my dad dying-'

'Not going to happen, kid. Cas loves him too much to let him die.'

'But if he's in any danger-'

'You come first, Faith. Let him and me worry about the practicalities of something going wrong, okay?'

Faith nodded, realising she wasn't going to be beaten on the details. She was just going to have to plan, without Dean and Gabriel around, how to save her dad should the worst happen. He was only human, after all, and as good a hunter as he was, he was the weak link in their group. She went back into her childhood room, shutting the door and flopping onto the bed, falling asleep straight away.

* * *

Dax was feeling delirious in the darkened basement. He had spent the hours in solitude straining to use a long-forgotten power he'd unlocked with an old apprentice, but the effort used to work the power was making him lightheaded. Still, he persevered, and after several hours - he'd lost track of how much time had passed, exactly - he'd managed to open the locks with his mind. As they flew open, he flopped forward onto the floor, panting and gripping his head, waiting in tense anticipation of the sound of footsteps on the cement floor, and that total psychopath Sam showing up, torturing him without turning physical, taunting him for Faith's defecting loyalty, for his failed attempt at taking over the bunker.

But it was his bunker. He'd designed it, he'd helped its construction. It was  _his_. Hunters weren't allowed. He wished Cuthbert had mastered hiding entire buildings by magic, so he could have hidden the bunker from schmucks like the Winchesters. He'd been so hopeful, when he realised how close they were to the bunker. He'd imagined leading Faith in, seeing her awestruck as he showed her around, pretending to be so surprised by everything in the bunker. And then Charlie had opened the door and Dax's plan went to dust. And worse, the hunters had trashed it, had put their musky, alcohol-soaked stamp on it. Faith had loved it all the same, which was even more irritating. She didn't know how good the bunker was, not really, she was too busy playing house with the usurpers.

Part of Dax felt sorry for leaving Faith out of the plan he was about to set in motion, the one he'd been working on since Sam and Charlie first began openly discussing their research on Dax, but it wasn't safe to tell her. She'd sell him out in a heartbeat. He didn't even want to touch upon her pregnancy lie, it was obviously a ploy her father had decided on to encourage him to talk.

Dax felt his way out of the basement, and out of the bunker, narrowly missing bumping into Castiel and Gabriel, who were in the main meeting room, discussing antichrist children. To avoid them, he came away from the main entrance and headed into the bathroom, where he knew he could move a vent cover to crawl up an exit tunnel out into the woods. From there, he planned to run to the camper van and put some distance between himself and the Winchesters, maybe heading out to hook up with Stevie and convincing her to protect him from Faith's family. It wasn't cowardice, it was pragmatism.

But when he reached the spot the camper van had been, it was empty, and the tracks in the dirt suggested it had been driven into the bunker's garage. Dax didn't like his chances of re-entering the bunker with two angels on alert, so he did the only thing he could do: he ran.


	21. Chapter 21

Faith woke up early in the morning, despite going to sleep late, and wandered into the main meeting room expecting the bunker to seem empty. Instead, she saw her parents, her uncles and Charlie, all moving quietly about, packing three huge rucksacks with food, water, ammunition, guns, salt, silver, knives and spare clothes. Amongst the collection, she noticed a few of those silver blades that had burned her skin so badly when she had touched them before, in Sam and Krissy's hotel room. Beside them was a blade she hadn't seen before, a bowie knife with enochian inscriptions on which she found she could read in the same way she could read her high school Spanish.

'What the hell are these?' She asked. Everyone looked up, not having realised she'd entered the room, and Sam, who was closest, answered.

'Angel blades,' he pointed to the pure silver ones. 'Only thing that can kill an angel. Cas and Gabriel have theirs, these are the ones Dean and I have collected over the years. That's a demon blade, the only one. Works faster than an exorcism, but kills the host.' He pointed to the engraved knife.

Sam and Dean exchanged another look, before Dean shoved a packet of beef jerky into a side pocket of his rucksack.

'That went over my head,' Faith admitted.

'Good. Keep it that way,' Dean muttered, scooping up the demon blade and putting it in his waistband, and grabbing a couple of angel blades, holding one out to Faith.

'Um, no thanks Dad.'

'Come on kid, you gotta protect yourself.' He held the blade out again, as Sam chuckled.

'I never thought you'd be telling someone to protect themselves. Especially your own daughter.' Sam rolled his eyes at Faith. 'Normally, it's me trying to give them a hand, and Dean saying no way. Like Adam?'

'Adam?' Faith asked, perlexed.

'Come on, we need to prep. Take the damn blade.' Dean growled, and Faith understood she wasn't meant to ask about Adam, or why she was getting some kind of special treatment. She reached out apprehensively, and touched the handle. Just like before, a burning sensation began on her fingertips, and her whole hand felt numb. She snatched her hand away as the blade fell on the floor, Dean looking at her with a concerned expression in his eyes.

'You can't touch an angel blade?'

'Seems like it,' she muttered, holding her hand to her chest again, willing the pain to go.

'Okay, we'll work around that.' Dean sighed, and slipped the blade into one of the rucksacks, before gently taking her hand and looking it over. There was no outward signs of damage, though even his tenderest touch felt like blades slicing into her flesh. She bit back the need to shriek in pain as Dean looked over her skin.

'I'll be right back,' Sam announced. 'I need to get something from the basement.'

'Take some water for Dexter while you're at it,' Dean said absent-mindedly, flexing Faith's fingers for her and watching her facial expression as she winced and gritted her teeth.

'Sure.'

Sam walked away, and Dean pulled Faith into a hug, trying not to put any pressure on her hand.

'It'll go away soon. It did when I held Sam's one before.' Faith promised, as someone knocked on the door. Dean let go of Faith and headed up the iron stairs as Castiel frowned up at the door.

'Who's that?'

'Who I told you about earlier,' Dean shrugged. 'I figured the more people we have to protect Faith the better.'

Castiel nodded slowly, as Dean opened the door, standing back to let the two men who were outside in. Faith gasped as they walked down the stairs, and grabbed the nearest gun with her good hand. She hoped the gun was full of silver bullets.

'Fuck! Werewolves!' She shrieked, her hands shaking. Gabriel and Castiel accosted her at the same time, pulling at her arms so she couldn't aim and fire. Gabriel pressed two fingers to her forehead, until she slumped in her mother's arms.

* * *

Dax slumped against a tree, breathless. He felt like he'd been running for days, not all night, but every time he looked behind him, he could swear he saw Sam Winchester following him. How had he looked up to that guy? Sam was dangerous. And worst of all, Sam had all the access to the Lazalixir, and Dax hated the idea that this might be his last life. He grabbed a few deep breaths, and pushed on, hoping he was heading in the right direction to find one of the antichrist. If he had an antichrist, all his problems would be solved. Sam had been right in one sense, he had relied on Faith to help him make more, but her being a nephilim was actually a let down. It was the antichrist he needed. He'd called it wrong, but that didn't matter. He could sort it out now.

* * *

Faith came around to see her father and uncle whispering in the corner of the room, their conversation clearly intense and unhappy. But she didn't have the time to speculate because Castiel was immediately in her vision, squinting at her closely.

'Are you okay?' he asked.

'Did you knock me out when the werewolves showed up?' she demanded groggily.

'Gabriel did. The werewolves are our friends, Faith. These particular ones, anyway. And you were friends with them too, at one point.'

He nodded to the nearby table, where the two werewolves were lounging back in their chairs. Faith forced herself to not jump up and stab them with silver.

'Hey Faith, we finally meet in person. It's crazy that you're Dean's kid!' The gangly one said, folding his arms behind his head. 'First time you met her, Junior, she levitated you.'

Faith forced back a shudder as the two shifters leered at each other, their sharp teeth sticking out past their lips, their faces contorted and half-covered in hair. She hated how familiar they were, with each other and with her.

'So, when did you work out that Dean was your Pop?' The gangly one asked.

'Right about the time I decided to put a bullet in your ass.' Faith snarled back. The gangly one smiled.

'Right about the time you opened your mouth, then?' he smirked back. 'Faith, it's me. Garth. We spoke on the phone with that djinn case in Cincinnati?'

Faith looked back at Castiel.

'Mom? I don't wanna go with them,' she whispered.

'You'll be fine, Faith. You'll be fine.' Castiel pulled her into a tight hug, and dropped his voice as he spoke into her ear. 'If you need me, pray. Anytime, anywhere, and I'll come. I love you, Faith.'

'Come now, Mom.' She urged. Castiel squeezed her tightly.

'Have faith, okay?' Castiel kissed the side of her head, pressing his lips there, as Dean strode across the room and grabbed a backpack, and Garth and Junior stood up as well.

'Faith, grab a bag. Gabe, could you help her put it on?'

Gabriel nodded, holding his arms out for Faith, as Castiel stood and looked at Dean.

'Well?' Dean smirked, and wrapped his arms around Cas's shoulder. Cas happily wound his own arms around Dean's waist. 'Look out for yourself, Cas.'

'You too, Dean. Don't put her at risk to play the hero.'

'Not a chance. Hey,' Dean nuzzled his head against Castiel's, ignoring the others in the room as best as he could, though he still whispered the next part. 'Maybe when this is all done, and we're all back here, we could take up Faith's suggestion. Get married, you know?'

Castiel shrugged.

'We don't have to, Dean. So long as we're together, we don't have to have anything more.'

Dean smirked again.

'I love you Cas.'

'I love you, too.'

Dean looked around at the room behind them quickly, then turned back to Castiel, catching him in a kiss that the angel wasn't expecting.

'Ahem. Dean? Cas? Missions?' Sam interrupted after a few moments. Dean reached his arm behind him to flip his brother off, all the while still kissing Castiel with a hint of desperation. They pulled apart on their own time.

'Come back to me, okay?' Dean whispered, and Castiel nodded seriously. Dean turned back to Garth, Junior, Fath and Gabe. 'Let's go.'


	22. Chapter 22

Sam and Castiel waited until everyone else had left the bunker to openly talk. Sam had already filled Dean in, while Faith was still unconscious, on the fact that Dexter had left the bunker, but he waited until he was left alone with Castiel to mention it. Castiel didn't look at all surprised by the news of the jailbreak.

'My guess is, he's gone to find Stevie, to warn her of her impending fate. We'll keep watch for him.'

'You think he knows about the antichrist?' Sam asked, surprise in his voice. 'I didn't think anyone mentioned them around him.'

'I don't know, Faith may have told him in the naive belief that he was to be trusted. You are coming with me now, aren't you?'

Sam nodded.

'Yeah, Charlie's going to keep the bunker running, and protected. And Dean and Faith won't want to think that you're on some kind of suicide mission.'

'Are you happy to zap out? I know Dean complains regularly-'

'It's fine, Cas. Zap away. Let's go get rid of these antichrist.'

Castiel stepped forward, grasping Sam's shoulder, both of them disappearing from the bunker.

* * *

Dean and Garth surged ahead with the hike, both of them shouldering the biggest rucksacks and laughing together as they talked. Faith trailed behind, sticking close to Gabriel, but unable to avoid Junior, glaring at her father as they walked.

How could he be so friendly with monsters? Faith was starting to wonder if maybe Dax was right, and she really didn't know Dean and Castiel - and Sam - as well as she had imagined. Maybe she was just clinging to the idea of having her family back that she didn't give any thought to what that could really mean. She wanted to pick Gabriel's brain about it, but Junior was sticking ridiculously close to the two of them.

They reached a stream that they had seen Dean and Garth jump over a few moments before, and Junior leaped across before turning and holding his furry hand out for Faith, the smile on his face marred into a sneer by his features. She glared at him.

'Come on, it's not big, but I can help.'

'Go screw yourself,' Faith sneered, and looked her arm through Gabriel's. Junior stood on the other side of the water, his face frozen in that strange sneer.

'I can't believe you're the kid Dean was destroying himself over,' he finally said, shaking his head. 'I was expecting someone nice.'

Faith jutted her chin forward, and squeezed Gabriel's arm slightly before she let go and leaped across the stream herself, clearing it by about ten feet. She turned back and looked at Gabriel.

'Come on!' She called. Gabriel gave her a tight smile, muttered something she couldn't pick up at Junior, and materialised by her side.

'Short stack,' he started as he wound an arm across her shoulders, his tone kind, 'don't be a bitch.'

'I'm not!'

'Look, I understand, pregnancy hormones. You should've heard Mary and the things she said to Joseph about the donkey. But look, You don't know Junior - or Garth - well enough to judge them.'

'They're werewolves, I know enough! They shouldn't exi-'

'Faith, I love you, girl, but don't do that. You're not exactly meant to be here either. The entire reason Dean asked Junior and Garth to come along and help protect you is because he knows, even if it hasn't dawned on you yet, that not all my brothers are going to be happy that my Father plays favourites with Cassie, or that he's giving you a chance. There's a lot of them waiting to kill you, because Cassie did something unforgivable and had you with Dean. Not to mention all the demons who'll want to see you die so angels are still divided. So step off, and give them a shot, okay? You should know better than anyone that it's not about what you are, but who you are.'

Faith didn't respond, except to fold her arms tightly across her chest. Gabriel squeezed a shoulder, but didn't press her further. Neither of them seemed to register Junior walking closer to Faith once more.

* * *

Dax made it into Diagonal, Iowa, after he managed to sucessfully hitchhike in a truck from the outskirts of Lawrence. He'd been texting with Stevie once he was a safe distance from the bunker, and no longer feeling like Sam was shadowing him everywhere. He headed over to a non-descript house on the outskirts of the town, one of the detached houses in an overly manicured street, the typical gloss of the suburbs almost saturating the air. He climbed the porch steps and knocked on the panelled front door. It creaked open almost immediately, and he stepped forward, into the darkened house.

'Where's Faith?'

'Living with the deluded and violent. I needed to find someone sane.'

'I heard she's met the Winchesters.'

'Worse, she might be a Winchester. She's also a nephilim.'

Dax heard Stevie take a sharp breath in.

'She doesn't know you're here, does she?'

'No, she thinks I'm chained up in the basement where her uncle left me. That, or she'll think I've run away with the camper van.'

'Okay,' Stevie exhaled noisily. 'You can stay. Rest up while you can, we're leaving early. And on the way, you can fill me in on everything you know about the Winchesters.'

* * *

Dean had kept an eye on Faith whenever possible as they hiked. Or at least, how close Junior was walking beside her. Close enough to touch. As much as he liked Garth, he didn't like the idea of his son hitting on Faith.

Especially when, Dean noticed, Junior already looked like a freaking underwear model. He definitely got his looks from Bess. Tan skin, chiseled cheekbones, a strong jaw covered in a sandy stubble already. How was Junior only a year older than Faith? He was tall too, practically as tall as Sam, and Dean could just tell this guy was into lifting weights or something. His close-fitting top strained over his chest, and his biceps bulged from the cuff of the tee sleeve.

'Garth?'

'Yeah, Dean?'

'Junior's like, married or something already, right?'

Garth laughed, and looked back at their teenaged children.

'They'd make a cute couple, wouldn't they?'

'It sounds like the start of a bad joke. What do you get if you cross a lycanthrope with a nephilim?'

'We'd be like, related.'

Dean closed his eyes briefly, and sighed, before glaring at Garth.

'Maybe we should seperate them?'

'Come on, Dean, they're the same age, they must have a tonne in common. And what else is there, apart from three old guys to talk to right now?'

'A tonne of things in common?' Dean asked skeptically. 'Garth, she grew up in an orphanage, she legally emanicpated herself from the state. Junior was always with you and Bess. All they have in common is that they're about the same age.'

'Think about it, Dean, they're both technically social outcasts because they're not totally human, they're both teenagers, they've both been raised by world class hunters-'

'Are they both pregnant, too?' Dean rolled his eyes.

'Funny, Dean. Just watch and see. Our kids are going to fall for each other.'

They both turned and looked back, as Junior offered a hand to Faith to climb over a large boulder. She tucked herself under Gabriel's arm and shot Junior a dirty look.

'Yeah well, I wouldn't write that father-of-the-groom speech just yet.'

'Just you watch, Dean. They're meant to be together.' Garth smiled smugly. Dean shook his head.

'You won't be saying that after two days with my Faith.'


	23. Chapter 23

Castiel and Sam had managed to track Cassidy down, the first antichrist child that they could locate. She was, Castiel could see, exactly as Gabriel had described. Gabriel always seemed the most on edge while talking about Cassidy, claiming she was both vapid and sly, like she gave the impression of being a total airhead while working other people enough to do her bidding. Castiel and Sam could almost see the way she used her demonic powers to control her so-called friends, as she flicked her long blonde hair back and flashed a smile that was too innocent to be true at a boy who almost seemed to fall at her feet.

'This looks like some cheesy teen movie. She might as well have just removed her glasses and discovered she wasn't an ugly duckling, she was a beautiful swan after all.' Sam muttered.

'She's going to be a tricky one, for sure. Do not be swayed by her, Sam. Angel blade, straight to the chest, okay? No hesitating, no engaging.'

Sam nodded, as they both took hold of their blades, and stepped out of the shadows of the building they'd been peering around, approaching Cassidy and her small group of friends. She turned to glare at them when they were close enough to talk to at a low level, and spoke before either of them could take action.

'And who, exactly, are you?'

'Sam Winchester,' Sam babbled instantly, almost falling into a kneeling position. 'And you're Cassidy, and this is the angel Castiel-'

At the mention of Castiel, Cassidy's eyes flicked up with a hatred even Faith hadn't managed, her face almost warping as it twisted. Sam seemed oblivious to her marred features.

'And we're here to kill you.'

So much for Castiel saying not to engage. Cassidy laughed, and looked at Sam again, shifting forward along the bench she was perched on, and running her hands through Sam's grey locks.

'And how do you think you'll do that, sweetie?' She purred. Castiel inched closer, preparing to take her out before she influenced Sam even more. She held out her hand suddenly, as though she were pushing an invisible force, and Castiel went flying backwards, the angel blade dropping from his grip. And then she lost her hands in Sam's hair again, moving closer as though she was about to kiss him, despite being the same age as his niece. He let her get closer, and closer, and just before her lips met his, Sam struck, spiking his own angel blade up and through her ribs. Her breath caught as her chest began oozing green blood, and he laughed in her face.

'Yeah, I'll make out with a monster young enough to be my damn kid.' He pulled the blade out of her, pushing her back on the bench as he did so, and noticed the few sycophants she had surrounded herself with, all stirring and shaking their heads as though they were waking up for the first time. Sam didn't wait to check that they were okay, but ran after Castiel, scooping up Castiel's blade and crouching down by the angel who was still lying on the floor.

'Cas? Cas? Are you with me?'

'Sam?' Castiel groaned, sitting up slightly. 'You were under her spell.'

'No. Come on, she's like, forty years too young for me. I was playing her. Come on Cas, be smarter than that. You okay?'

'Yeah, I'm fine. Come on, we'll look for Flora next. She should be much easier.'

Sam shook his head in bemusement, not letting Castiel in on the joke. Cassidy had seemed too easy to begin with. This was going to be a cakewalk.

* * *

Dean and Garth finally paused in their hiking, looking back and watching as Gabriel, Faith and Junior caught up. As soon as they did, Dean dropped his rucksack onto the ground.

'We're camping here,' he decided, and collapsed against a nearby tree, putting his feet up on the rucksack. Junior looked around at the desolate area and scratched his head.

'It doesn't look very safe. What if we're attacked?'

'I give you full permission to eat a demon's heart out,' Dean muttered, closing his eyes. Junior fumbled for the trinket on his neck chain, as Faith squatted down next to her father and crawled under his arm.

'We don't kill, Dean,' Garth reminded the elderly hunter.

'We might have to. Right Gabe?'

'Only if we're very unlucky. But how about we stick to our weaponry and we don't compromise their beliefs?'

'Since when are you such a killjoy, huh Gabe?'

Gabriel rolled his eyes and started scanning the local area.

'If you wanna sleep for a few hours, I can keep watch. I'll wake you up when we need to move on.'

Dean didn't respond, and they soon realised he was already asleep. Garth flopped down nearby and curled around his own pack, and Junior sat down on a nearby stump, watching Faith as she stared up at her father.

'That's kind of creepy, you know,' Junior informed her. Faith looked at him to roll her eyes.

'Sorry, I haven't been lucky enough to spend all my time with my parents.'

Junior held up his hands in a form of self-defence.

'Okay, okay, geez. So, what's it like, being a nephilim?'

Faith shrugged, then glanced back at Dean, realising she might have disturbed him, and woken him up. But he continued breathing deeply, and her whole body relaxed in relief.

'I don't know, I only just found out that's what I was. What's it like being a werewolf?'

'Lycanthrope,' Junior corrected, playing with a beanie hat he had just pulled out of his own rucksack. 'It's okay. Mom and Dad are pretty strict about the whole not-killing-people thing, but it's fine. I don't think I could do that to another person, it's not their fault that I was born different.'

'You haven't ever killed? Like, in self-defence, or against a monster or-'

'Some might call me a monster,' Junior said pointedly. 'So who am I to judge?'

Faith remained quiet, as Junior pulled his beanie onto his head and looked at Gabriel.

'Want me to help keep watch?'

'No, it's fine, Junior. I don't sleep, and you're going to need it. Rest while you can.'

Junior scooted forward and leaned his head against the tree stump, pulling the beanie completely over his face. Gabriel listened as his breathing slowed down, and turned to Faith.

'Don't feel bad, Faith. You're a born hunter.'

'It feels like he's making digs all the time.' Faith sighed. Gabriel chuckled to himself.

'I don't think so. He's hot for you, you know that right?'

'Ugh,' Faith grunted back.

'Are you still judging him because he's not fully human?' Gabriel asked softly. 'Because really Faith, you need to drop the prejudice. He wants to help.'

'That's not it, Uncle Gabe.'

He cocked his head at her, and seemed to understand after a few moments.

'Right. Is that what your mood's about?'

'Kinda.'

Gabriel scooted closer, grabbing her hand and squeezing her fingers gently.

'I just feel bad, I didn't even say goodbye, and he's stuck in the basement and he's only got Uncle Sam and Charlie there and he's just going to think the worst of me. We didn't even start talking about all the Men of Letters stuff.'

Gabriel sighed slowly, squeezing her fingers again.

'I know it's going to be hard, sweetie, but try to focus on the baby. And I know, I know, what should you care about a baby that isn't even yours and is only going to benefit angels-'

'I care, Uncle Gabe. Even if it's only for you and Mom, I care.'

Gabriel nodded, and quirked a smile.

'Castiel's not the angel you were expecting, is he?'

Faith shook her head.

'No. He's better.'

'What about Dean?' Gabriel nodded at the man Faith had snuggled up next to. She cuddled further under his arm.

'He's the best.' Faith decided. Gabriel snorted with laughter, which he fought to hide. 'Oh, shut up, Gabe.'

'No, it's cute, that's all.'

'I am worried about him though, Uncle Gabe. He's not hunted for years, he was drinking his life away, and now he's coming with us?'

Gabriel looked away, shaking his head.

'It's a rookie mistake to underestimate Dean. And he was drinking way before you came along. Stop worrying, Faith. Just focus on the baby.'

Faith looked up at her uncle, and her face fell.

'Gabe, demon!' She gasped. Gabe reached up and grabbed hold of the demon's head, zapping it away with his angelic power and leaping up as more ambushed their group. Faith elbowed her father hard before staggering up herself, using her own powers to keep the demons at bay. Dean also stood up quickly, shouting for Garth in a terse voice as he whipped out his demon blade and started stabbing and slashing at a speed that could almost rival Gabriel's. As the final demon fell, Dean scooped up his rucksack, and pushed Faith's back on her shoulders, grabbing her arm and shouting commands at the others as he pulled his daughter along.

'Come on, move, there's going to be more coming soon. We can sleep when we're dead.'


	24. Chapter 24

It had been days since they'd experienced their first demon attack, and they had barely moved from the haven they had found in the form of a derelict farmhouse that bore signs of once belonging to a hunter. The reason for the pause in their journey wasn't the threat of more demons, though Dean, Garth and Gabriel took turns in watching outside the house for any enemies. It was because Faith had succumbed to morning sickness, to a level none of them could have anticipated. Dean had set up some blankets for her in the bathroom, and when he wasn't on watch duty, he sat with her, soothing her and helping her when she needed it.

Gabriel had been of little help. He remembered things from Mary's pregnancy, but none of his advice seemed to help Faith, who was so weakened by her rolling stomach that she was barely able to stand, let alone fight off any enemies. He took to watching Faith when Dean was on house duty, and tried to help her by using his angelic powers, but even they didn't seem to reduce the effects of the morning sickness.

'Some girls get it badly, apparently,' Junior spoke up after the sixth day cooped up, flicking through the browser of his netbook. 'There's a bunch of recipes and stuff we could give her to try to help?'

'That stuff probably works when a girl's carrying a human baby,' Dean pointed out. 'A fully human girl. It's a nice idea, Junior, but I don't think it'll help her.'

'Maybe there's something somewhere about angelic diets,' Garth tried. 'Maybe the baby needs something specific.'

'Mmmm,' Dean sounded non-committal, as he peered out of the shabby curtains hanging across the window in the front door, looking for signs of movement.

'You'd think God would tell the angels how to stop this baby hurting her. It seems cruel that she just has to suffer.'

Dean closed his eyes, forcing himself not to turn around to Junior and blast him for his suggestion.

'Maybe God wants to punish her first, before allowing her redemption. God sounds like a major dick to me.'

He reopened his eyes, scanning the local area once again.

'Dean, you can't call God a dick!' Junior sounded offended. ' _It's God_.'

Dean shrugged, as Gabriel walked into the room.

'Dean? Faith wants you. I won't cut it, apparently.'

Dean moved away from the door immediately, as Junior turned to Gabriel.

'So, Gabriel, what do angels eat?'

Gabriel just laughed, and took Dean's last position.

'Oh, cub, you kill me,' Gabriel said over his shoulder.

'I was just thinking, you know, maybe that'll help the baby.'

Gabriel didn't answer Junior, he merely folded his arms and squinted out of the window.

* * *

Sam and Castiel had ended up in New York. More specifically, the New York Library. They were pretending to browse the shelves while trying to spot someone who could be Flora, the next antichrist on Castiel's list. The building was fairly busy, and Sam was having misgivings about how they could handle destroying Flora. There would be so many witnesses. Even if they encouraged her to leave with them, someone may get the wrong end of the stick. Castiel didn't seem too worried by the presence of other humans, he seemed almost bloody-minded in his need to remove her, whatever the cost.

Sam was the first to spot the girl. She was small, even tinier than Faith was, and she was curled up in a leather armchair, flicking idly through a large, thick, old and worn book. Her hair was jet black, like Castiel's, and there was something in the way she sat, so still and peaceful, that reminded Sam even more strongly of Castiel. He started to wonder if they had the wrong girl.

'How're we going to do this?' he asked Castiel instead. Castiel slipped his angel blade down his sleeve, into his hand. 'Whoa, wait a second Cas, we're going to get her to agree to come somewhere with us first, remove witnesses-'

'Is that an angel blade?' A small, high voice asked from the other side of Sam. He turned, and saw the small girl standing close beside them, her bright blue eyes locked on the triangular dagger. 'Are you an angel?'

Castiel stared at the small girl with obvious dislike.

'How do you know about angels?' Sam asked her, trying to distract her the way he had with Cassidy.

'I read a lot. I have an eidetic memory. That fits the description of an angel blade, and only angels readily have them. And the Winchester brothers, if you subscribe to popular fiction.'

Sam and Castiel traded a knowing look.

'The Winchesters?' Sam asked as he turned back to the girl.

'Yes, there's a collection of tales about two fictional brothers and their involvement with the paranormal. I could show you? It's in the science fiction section.'

She started moving away, almost gliding across the floor. Sam and Castiel hurried to keep up with her, hoping that the science fiction section was less populated. Flora didn't seem to realise that she had inadvertedly met Sam Winchester.

They found her in the section, a large stack of books in her hands.

'These are all the library's copies. They're missing a couple of volumes, I know they aren't just checked out. There's a couple I would love to read, to complete the collection.'

She sighed, and passed the stack to Sam, her movements quick, like she was flickering in front of them.

'Listen, um, we don't need to read these,' Sam informed her, lifting the heavy stack slightly. 'We know the stories.'

'Did you read them from the internet? Because there's a lot of misinformation out there. There's this one fanfiction writer, Becky Rosen-'

'Yeah, I know Becky,' Sam interrupted testily. 'Look-'

She looked up at him, and her eyes seemed to glow an eerie blue. Sam looked at Castiel apprehensively, worried what it might mean, but Castiel was hardly paying attention. He looked as though he was listening intently to something.

'Cas? Is everything okay?'

'Cas? What kind of a name is that?' Flora scoffed.

'Sam, we should go. Dean's praying.'

'Wait, Sam? Dean? Are you Castiel?' Flora's eyes were even brighter, as her face fell into a scowl. She glanced at the books still in Sam's hands as she made the connection. 'Are you here to kill me?'

Her voice was harsh, and rasping, and Castiel gripped Sam's arm tightly.

'We need to go. We will come for you again, Flora.' Castiel threatened, and disappeared from her view with Sam before she could let her powers loose.

* * *

Dean had been giving up on the situation with Faith. She was so weakened, that the best she could do was lay her head on his legs as she groaned pitifully. He was positioned uncomfortably in the cramped bathroom, trying to ease his daughter's suffering as much as he could. Dean had taken to stroking her hair, trying to soothe her, but it didn't make much difference. He'd looked down at her as she mewed again.

'Hey Princess, what if we called your mom? Maybe Cas'll come.'

'Okay,' she said weakly. 'What's his number?'

'One-eight-hundred-angel,' Dean smirked. 'I meant praying.'

'You pray to Mom?' Faith struggled to sound interested through her weakened state. Dean smirked, pushing her hair away from her ear.

'Every night he's not around, Princess.'

'And it works? He knows it's for him?'

'Yeah. All prayers go to the angels, kid, and I name him, it's him who hears it.'

Faith flopped an arm across Dean's legs.

'How do you pray to him? What do you even say?'

Dean grimaced, glad that Faith's eyes were closed to miss that cue, as he remembered the years of abuse he had shouted up into the ether for Castiel. He couldn't remember what he said - he was drunk at the time, and now he was sober, he couldn't connect with that way of thinking - but he knew he'd been angry with Castiel. He tried to put it all out of his mind as he prayed for Faith.

'Cas, it's me, I know it's a bad time, but could you maybe come find us? Faith needs you. Please?'

'Amen.'

Dean looked down at his teenage daughter.

'What?'

'You're meant to end a prayer with "Amen". You're also meant to start it with "Dear God" but I'll give you a pass because it wasn't Grandpa you were trying to talk to.'

Dean smirked at the way Faith called God Grandpa, and shifted underneath her slightly, trying to stop his legs from going numb.

'Trust me kid, I've said way worse stuff to Cas in a prayer.'

'And yet I still answer.'

Dean's neck cricked as he looked up at Castiel, who was looking down at them both with concern.

'I take it you didn't pray just because you missed me?' Castiel crouched down by Faith's feet.

'No, she's got really bad morning sickness. We've been here nearly a week, waiting for it to pass, but it's like it's getting worse. Gabriel doesn't have any answers. We can't go any further. I'm out, man.'

Castiel sighed, dropping his gaze.

'Dean, Gabriel is an archangel, if he hasn't got a solution, I wouldn't be any better at answering it.'

'Are you kidding? You're in with the G-man.' Dean pointed out.

'Father isn't going to discuss that type of information with me, Dean. What have you tried so far?'

Dean gave Castiel a short run-through of all the things they had tried, as Faith groaned quietly on Dean's lap. Castiel patted her legs awkwardly, knowing it wasn't good enough to remove the churning sensation in her stomach.

'Maybe it's not about human nutrition, Dean,' Castiel decided once he had finished going through the list. 'Maybe it's about feeding something else.'

'Like what?'

Castiel shrugged.

'Whatever she has in place of a soul or grace.'

He reached over to press two forefingers against her head, as she reeled back, and Dean who recognised the signs now, helped her quickly to throw up into the toilet bowl, holding her hair back as well. He looked at Castiel tenderly.

'Give her a minute, okay?'

Castiel nodded, shuffling closer to Dean and pressing a brief kiss onto Dean's nose. Faith slumped back into her position on Dean, knocking into her mother, and she just found the energy to point across the room.

'What's Uncle Sam doing here?'

Dean and Castiel exchanged a look before looking over at Sam, who had been in the corner of the room for the entire exchange. He'd looked away pointedly as the angel had kissed his brother, but had been watching his niece with concern in the meantime. It was only as she spoke, however, that he seemed to realise their error. Faith had no idea about Dax's escape - Dean had decided they wouldn't worry her - and believed that Sam was still looking after him in the bunker. He cleared his throat, preparing to lie for her sake.

'Castiel came back to the bunker to fill me in on his progress with the antichrists, and to see if you guys had touched base. He brought me after he heard Dean's prayer.'

'Is Dax okay?'

'Don't you worry about Dax, Faith. Let's get you better first, okay?'

Faith nodded pitifully, as Sam traded a conspiratoral look with Dean, and Castiel finally placed his fingers on his daughter's forehead, and tried to work out how to help her.


	25. Chapter 25

'So there's nothing?' Dean growled. Castiel sighed, leaning against the warped sideboard in the kitchen where they'd moved into temporarily. Sam and Gabriel were there as well, while Garth kept watch outside the house and Junior watched over Faith in the bathroom.

'That's not quite what I meant. I think I'm correct that it's not human nutrition, it's something else, but I think the best person to answer for sure what she needs is-'

'God.' Dean interrupted. Castiel nodded. 'But she's a nephilim, she can't get into Heaven. So can you please talk to him?'

Castiel disappeared in front of their eyes, and Dean slumped into a kitchen chair beside Gabriel, who offered him a candy bar.

'He won't let her die, Dean,' Sam said gently. 'She carries the answer for the angels, that's got to be important right?'

'Yeah, well, God's a dick. It's probably some stupid symbol, like of course our kid can't survive having an angel baby, she shouldn't be here in the first place and angels can save their damn selves.'

'Hi, archangel in the room,' Gabriel pointed out. 'Maybe Dean, the problem is you. Maybe Faith can sense the doubt and lack of trust you have in God and that's not good for the baby?'

Dean levelled his dirtiest glare at Gabriel.

'I'm not above kicking your ass,' he promised. Gabriel shrugged.

'Say what you want there, Deano, but whenever we've had a tete-a-tete, it's never my ass that gets it. I'm sure Cas would say the same these days.'

Dean narrowed his eyes further, standing up as though he would try to attack Gabriel, when Castiel flashed back, right in between them, his focus entirely on Dean.

'He wants to talk with you.'

And before Dean could protest, or Sam could interfere, he grabbed Dean's hand and flashed back out.

Dean found himself beside Castiel, in an overgrown garden, flowers and shrubs in abundance everywhere, a veil of wisteria hanging over them and thick grass running a path underneath their feet. A short distance away there was a familiar small building, though Dean couldn't place where it was right then.

'Welcome to Heaven, Dean. Again. And that's God's house.'

'I was expecting a palace,' Dean admitted.

'No you weren't. You see what you're expecting. You know who He is, and this is where he's familiar to you.'

Dean looked at his lover, confusion written all over his face, and Castiel smiled weakly.

'I don't see it entirely the way you do, Dean, but I can see how you see it. He's expecting us. Come on.'

Dean still felt confused, but let Castiel lead him into the small, two-storey house. The hallway brought strong reminders forth, but Dean still didn't understand where they were, until they reached the study, where God was hunched up over a laptop, wearing a worn knitted cardigan and birkenstocks under his frayed jeans. Castiel's cryptic message made sense now.

'Chuck?'

'You would still call me that. I go by many names, Dean.'

'But you're a prophet.'

Chuck turned around and smiled at Dean over his wire-framed glasses.

'I guess you could say I'm the greatest prophet of them all. You know, I had great hopes for you both. I mean, I tried to downplay the homoerotic subtext a little but it just kept coming back and biting me in the ass. Whiskey?'

Chuck gestured over to the table, where a bottle and three glasses appeared out of nowhere. Dean eyed it, but remained standing in the doorway.

'Come on, Dean, I know you like it. We're old friends. Relax.'

Castiel looked at Dean hesitantly, before walking over and pouring three drinks, giving one to Chuck, and another to Dean, then sitting in an armchair and nursing his own.

'So, you wanted to talk about what's wrong with Faith, I take it?' Chuck asked over the rim of his glass.

'Are you really okay with her?' Dean growled. Chuck sighed, and sat back in his office chair.

'Not really, no. I was hopeful for your relationship, but I never foresaw Cas in a female vessel. That was something I wasn't counting on. But I guess that's what happens when you have an angel with free will,' Chuck glanced at Castiel, who remained staring at the amber liquid in his tumbler. 'But it's happened now and I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.'

'Did you write it so that she'd be taken from us so young?' Dean demanded. Chuck put his glass down, and sat forward.

'Dean, you're a tough character to work with. You can't demand conflicting things. You could never raise her fully and still protect her from the world she was born into. I just tried to weigh up which one meant more to you. I didn't count on her being so headstrong and independent. She really is your kid.'

'Don't talk like that. You sound like Metatron with his magic stupid typewriter.' Dean snarked. Chuck smiled vacantly.

'If it makes you feel better, I think Metatron's a tool as well. He's going to remain in Heaven's jail even after Faith has her baby.'

'If she survives her morning sickness.' Dean growled. Chuck shrugged.

'It's not morning sickness. You can't heal her.'

'Then what is it?' Dean demanded, stepping closer to Chuck, who instead of cowering as he would have done on earth, stood up and towered over Dean instead.

'Look at the real facts, Dean. She spent most of her adolescence creating her own family in Gabriel and Dexter. She grew up only knowing of you both as distant connections. She invested a lot in one person, and that person has let her down. And she still cares, Dean, whatever you might think of him. You should recognise it better, since you spent so much time in your own filth waiting for Cas in the same way.'

Dean blinked, and then shot a look at Castiel, who was still staring into his glass.

'She's heartbroken, Dean. And she's terrified of what's going on with the baby, and with him, and your mission, and your recent attack. You know, it pains me to handhold like this.'

'So what do I do?'

Chuck sighed, and slumped into his office chair again.

'Do what you've been praying fifteen years for. Be a father. Castiel?'

Castiel stood, placing the full glass on the table and taking Dean's hand again he led him out of the house. Dean spluttered with indignation as the front door shut and they found themselves back in the kitchen of the house they'd been hiding in.

'Well, you were a great help there, thanks Cas,' Dean finally snapped. Sam and Gabriel looked between them, their own conversation obviously interrupted.

'I wasn't allowed to speak, Dean.'

'Are you kidding me? You're the angel with free will! He said it himself! So you should have told him to shove it-'

'Dean, stop. He's told you what you need to do now. Compromising my deal with Father is not going to help you.'

'He told me what to do? He barely told me anything, Cas!'

'You really spoke to God?' Sam interrupted, his voice awed. Dean rolled his eyes.

'Yeah, and it turns out, not for the first time. You've talked to him before yourself.' Dean grabbed a beer out of the burnt out fridge. 'I'm going to talk to Faith.'

He left the others in the kitchen and headed up the stairs, hearing two voices speaking quietly down the hallway. He slowed down and listened carefully.

'… that a silver bullet?'

'Yeah, my whole family wears them. It's part of our church.'

'Weird church.'

'I think we're all hoping that being devout will override the fact we're werewolves.'

'Doesn't it hurt?'

'All the time. But it's a good reminder of the good we want to do and the burden we have to bear.'

There was silence for a moment, before Faith spoke again, her voice stronger than it had been all week.

'But isn't that something you carry inside all the time? That's what my dad does.'

'I was born into this life, Faith. It's something I am, not something I became. It's fate.'

'You can override fate.' Faith declared. Dean could hear Junior laughing, the sound dying out quickly.

'Can you override yours? Looks like whatever you do, you're having this baby.'

'Having the baby is the easy part,' she answered. Dean finally pushed the door open, and found Junior and Faith sitting on the edge of the bathtub. Faith looked a little guilty, like she expected Dean to yell at her for not being curled up on the bathroom floor.

'You're feeling better?' Dean asked.

'Yeah.'

'Good. We can get going again soon. Did you want something to eat?'

She nodded slowly.

'Good, I'll make something. Your mom's still here, by the way.'

'Okay, I'll come see her. Junior?'

'See you later, Faith,' Junior nodded, avoiding Dean's eye. Faith moved off the bathtub, and followed Dean down the stairs gingerly, as though she was expecting him to start yelling at any moment. Instead, at the bottom of the stairs, he wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her head gently.

'It'll get easier, Faith. Trust me.'

'Thanks, Dad.'

'It's okay. Love you.'

'Love you too, Dad.'

He let go and walked back into the kitchen, where only Sam and Castiel remained.

'Where's Gabriel?' Dean asked, looking through their supplies for something to eat.

'He's keeping watch on the house. And we have to get going again. We've removed Cassidy, and met Flora. We need to go back and get Flora, before she becomes too much of a liability. She's probably made a lot of connections already, she was very intelligent.' Castiel answered

'And powerful. I think we should try one of the others.' Sam spoke up. Castiel shot a quick look at Faith, before turning his attention back to Sam.

'Max, then. We'll look for Max.'

'Don't go yet!' Faith complained, and rushed over to Castiel, grabbing him and holding him tightly.

'I'm sorry, Faith. I'm doing this for you, and it must be done.' He hugged her hard, and they stood together for a long moment, before he detangled himself, and went to stand with Sam. 'We'll see each other soon.'

And they disappeared, leaving Faith to curl up in a ball on the floor, crying. Dean left the food alone, and strode over to her, sinking down and pulling her onto his lap, holding her once more as her body shook with sobs.

'I'm sick of being left, Dad.' She sniffed.

'I know Princess, I know. It won't be for much longer, I swear.'

He hoped he was right.


	26. Chapter 26

Dean, Garth, Junior, Gabriel and Faith began hiking again that evening, Junior and Garth taking the lead, talking quietly between themselves, and Gabriel brought up the rear, concentrating on their surroundings, and for anything that could pose as a threat. In between them, Dean walked close beside Faith, musing on Chuck's advice that Castiel was adamant had been there. Faith wasn't speaking, and she was holding herself tightly as they walked, as though she could hold in her emotions. Eventually, after maybe an hour of walking, she leaned closer.

'God thinks you should be more of a dad.' She muttered it, hoping Gabriel didn't pick up on their conversation with his enhanced hearing.

'What?'

'That's the thing God said. You keep thinking it. I know I shouldn't eavesdrop, but it's all I could hear. I think you're doing okay though.'

They both felt a strange wave of tension then, hovering between them. Dean bit back the response that would make the situation worse, the one where he pointed out that neither of them would know that. His own father had been terrible, and Faith hadn't experienced Dean as a father since she was nearly three years old, and she'd only had government workers raise her since then.

'I'm not, Faith. We both know it.'

Faith shrugged, and shifted her bag on her shoulders.

'Dad, you dropped everything for me. You sobered up for me. You're doing okay.'

'Can you level with me for a second?' Dean looked at Faith, waiting for her to respond. She nodded slowly, her expression at that moment so like Castiel's, and Dean knew that she was confused by his terminology. When did he get so old that he would confuse his teenaged daughter? 'Do you miss him? Dax?'

She stared ahead, wrapping her arms closer around herself. He heard her sniff, and looked again to see a tear roll down her cheek.

'Oh, Faith,' He reached over, slipping his arm around her shoulders. 'You wanna talk about it?'

She shook her head, and snuggled into his side.

'I know how it feels, you know,' Dean told her in a low voice. 'When we lost you, I lost Cas too. Somehow I had to deal.'

'At least you could get raging drunk. With this stupid baby, what've I got?'

'Faith, you've got a lot. You've got me, and Gabriel, and Garth. And Junior? Come on, you were getting on okay with him when I walked in.'

'Junior's not Dax.'

Dean squeezed her shoulder.

'I know, Princess. I'm not telling you to move on, hell, I'll be happy if you're single forever, but I'm saying you got people to talk to, okay?'

'You had Uncle Sam to talk to. And that Charlie.'

Dean nodded.

'Yeah, in theory. But Sam and I don't talk about stuff like that, and there was nothing he could say. And Charlie calls me girlfriend way too much.'

'And I still barely know you, and I don't trust the werewolves. So all I really have is Gabe.'

'Are you trying to outdo me?' Dean teased her. She rolled her eyes.

'Is Dax really okay, with Uncle Sam and Charlie? Uncle Sam's not going to hurt him, is he?'

Dean sucked in a deep breath, knowing he was about to lie to his daughter's face.

'No. Sam can't hurt him. He ran away.'

Faith stopped walking, and glared at his silhouette, and he winced, knowing he could never lie to his daughter, not properly.

'What do you mean, he ran away?'

'I mean somehow he slipped his chains and disappeared.'

'You make him sound like a dog.'

'Faith,' Dean growled, and then sighed again. 'I'm not trying to make it sound like anything. He left the van in the garage, he went somewhere on foot.'

'So we could've bumped into him at any time?'

'I don't think so, Faith. I'm sorry.'

They were quiet for a few moments, listening to Garth and Junior's distant voices, and the crunch of leaves and twigs under their feet.

'He's gone to Stevie,' Faith finally blurted. 'He would go to Stevie.'

'Yeah, we were debating whether that might have happened too. Cas wouldn't let anything happen to him, he knows what Dax means to you.'

'Dean?' Garth called from further down the field they were currently walking in. 'Nearly time to call it, right?'

'Sure,' Dean called back. Garth and Junior paused by the hedgerow separating the field from the next one, and waited for everyone else to catch up. When the five of them had gathered, Faith and Junior set about unwrapping all the sleeping bags, Garth built a fire between the bags, and Dean and Gabriel started scratching signs and symbols into the ground around their little gathering.

They sat on their sleeping bags, trying to get warm by the fire, and Junior rummaged in his rucksack, pulling out a bag of marshmallows, some crackers and chocolate.

'I've been saving these, but, anyone else want some s'mores?'

Gabriel pounced on the treats, helping Junior to toast the marshmallows and squish them in the crackers, then pass them around. Faith bit into her s'more, and the sounds of Junior and Gabriel laughing over the junk food seemed to fade for her, because all of a sudden, she was back in the Men of Letter's bunker, standing by the oven with a younger-looking Sam, and a s'more floating through the air in front of them. She felt sad, somehow, even as Sam encouraged her to levitate another cracker, letting her know when they'd made enough. And then Sam was leading her through the bunker to another room, one she knew well, where her bear was perched on the sofa and a Disney DVD was frozen on the screen.

She shook her head quickly, trying to clear the image, but it was so strong and she had no choice but to see the vision through. The bear spoke to her, and she passed off the teddy's concerned tone to chatter about Sam as her uncle queued another disc up to play. He came back to the sofa and sat beside her, the bear in between them, his arm across her tiny shoulders. The bear kept whispering about Sam, how he wasn't to be trusted, how he had demon blood, and so many other things that she began to doubt herself. Despite the way the bear was worrying her, she felt her eyelids begin to close, and she let go of the rest of her s'more as she slumped against Sam.

'Faith?' Dean's voice seemed far away. 'Faith, are you okay?'

'I remember,' she whispered back. 'Daddy, I remember everything.'

* * *

Dax was cold, sore and cranky. Stevie had stolen a convertible, which she insisted on driving with the top down, and she had been gunning it towards the West Coast since they'd left the house she'd been squatting in. Dax hadn't slept since the bunker, and he hadn't slept well even there, and he was beginning to really feel the effects. And more than anything, he was missing Faith, who was an easier travelling companion than Stevie. Stevie kept asking him questions that at first he found he couldn't answer easily. He felt - stupid though it was - that he was somehow being a traitor to Faith by giving too much away.

'So how did you even come across the Winchesters? They're meant to be dangerous.'

Dax wanted to scoff at that comment, but he was still extremely wary of Sam. Sam was most definitely dangerous, but his brother … Dean seemed soft. He was more interested in Faith's feelings, and he stank of booze, his face grey and weathered by his alocohol abuse. Dean would be a pushover.

'Our camper broke down, we went to the first place we found, and it was theirs.'

'Oh, come on Dax! Faith might believe the bullshit, but I'm not that naive.' Stevie shook her hair back, into the wind coming over the windscreen.

'Fine. Since Faith and me left the orphanage, I've been looking for this place. And I realised we were near it about a month ago, so I faked a break down. You know Faith, she wouldn't even question it. And I was trying to come up with some excuse for going into the place, and this chick we saved from a shifter comes out right at the moment I needed her, so I pretended we wanted to use her hospitality,' Stevie snorted, and Dax ploughed on. 'And got in there. And the freaking Winchesters are using it like a house! It's my damn place and they've moved in, coming out with shit like they're legacies.' Dax began to raise his voice as the injustice of it all built up inside him and spewed out in a mass of hate. 'And they don't have a fucking clue! Oh, but Faith just loved them, straight away, especially when they convinced her that Dean was her dad. And she just ate that crap up. And then they decided I was the creep and chained me up in the freaking dungeon and Faith was just fine with it. She chose them over me.'

'You whine more than any girl I know, Dax.'

'I tell you Faith's dad and uncle, the famous Winchesters, locked me in a dungeon, and that's all you got?'

'Sorry. Please tell me of your miraculous escape.'

Dax sighed at Stevie's monotonous tone. At least Faith would react right. He felt a pang of longing that was unfamiliar to him.

'A good magician doesn't reveal his secrets. But watch out for that Sam. The guy's a major dickwad.'

'And Dean?'

Dax shrugged, though Stevie kept her eyes on the road.

'Dean's the last thing we need to worry about.'

Stevie shook her hair back again.

'I'm supremely not worried about the Winchesters. But it's always good to have some kind of dirt on people, don't you think?'


	27. Chapter 27

'So, what happened, that last day?' Dean asked quietly, once the shock of Faith's revelation had worn off. He couldn't understand what had happened to unlock those early memories, but he was still desperate to know what might have torn their little family apart. Faith's voice had taken on a strange quality, as though she had regressed to being a toddler, and she spoke in a way reminiscent of her speech patterns back then. Dean noticed the unfocused look in her eyes and wondered whether she was reliving the scenes as she spoke.

'I woke up, and Bear woke up with me, and we tried to creep around Uncle Sam so we didn't wake him but we didn't do it so good and he woke up anyway. And Uncle Sam said we should get breakfast, so we went, and Uncle Sam made me toast and helped me with a jigsaw puzzle like we did at Garth's house. And then Daddy came in the room with Mommy, and Mommy came to help with the puzzle.'

Dean knew all this already, but decided to let her talk it through in this way, in case the important part disappeared otherwise. He felt a pull in his chest as he heard the old innocence thread its way through her speech, and his throat felt dry. God, he'd missed her.

'Daddy had his coffee and Uncle Sam started asking about their date, and Mommy said they got me presents. And Mommy was about to get me my presents when my head started hurting and the angels started shouting. Daddy hugged me tightly, but he couldn't stop the yelling, and they kept saying I had to go, I had to leave, I was going to die. They were going to break in somehow. And Daddy and Mommy and Uncle Sam started planning to make me safe, and Mommy told Bear to watch out for me. And then they went away to make it safe.'

Dean sucked in a slow breath. Here was where she was going to reveal why he lost her. He was anxious to know just what had happened.

'And then Bear said she knew somewhere safe, and I had to go. And I said no, Daddy said stay here. And Bear said Daddy had said I needed to listen to Bear, Bear would take care of me. Bear kept saying I needed to come, Bear knew a great place to hide. Bear took me into the bathroom, and said we should hide in the vent. And then we should climb up the vent, and no one would find us. And then we got to the top, and we were outside, and there were all these angels looking scarier than Balthazar ever did. And they all had silver swords and they all came near me and I was scared and all the scared left in a big bang.'

Faith shook her head slightly as though she was coming out of a trance, and looked at her father nervously. Dean was staring at the ground, his posture closing his thoughts from the world.

'Dad?'

He didn't react to her gentle appeal for him. She felt she had to explain properly.

'Dad, I don't think it was Bear, the toy I knew would never lead me straight into danger like that. She must have been possessed or something, and I was too young to notice. I must have gotten rid of the angels somehow, I must have done something I wasn't aware of. Everything exploded, and the next thing I remember is walking around a town I'd never been in before, calling for you and Mom, until they took me to the police. I remembered enough at the time to remember when you and Uncle Sam came to get me when Mummy Cassandra died, I knew I couldn't say anything.'

Dean sniffed, and Faith realised he was crying.

'Daddy,' she whispered softly, shuffling closer and curling up under his chin, 'Daddy, it's okay now.'

Dean held her tightly, both of them oblivious to the attention the others around their small camp were giving them.

As Dean cried, Faith reflected on a few more memories; the ones that matched those that Castiel had shown her, and other ones, earlier ones, memories that a young child ordinarily wouldn't be able to keep hold of. She was a little alarmed to realise she remembered her own birth, how the world was comfortably dark and then all of a sudden there was a flood of light everywhere, and Castiel was there, holding her, smiling down at her like he'd discovered life itself. And Dean hovered over his shoulder, his eyes wide as though he couldn't believe what was in front of him. Faith noticed things that back then she wouldn't have - how Castiel looked exactly the same, except maybe his hair was styled slightly differently. How Dean looked younger, his hair a light brown rather than grey, still slightly gaunt but healthily so, his skin a light tan, and freckles evident across his nose. She knew exactly who they were, she'd heard their voices in the darkness. They were talking to someone behind Faith, someone who was important, but less so than the two men in front of her. Castiel gently wrapped something around her, and passed her to Dean, who then couldn't stop touching her face, that same shocked expression on his own.

She remembered Cassandra flittering around the house, leaving her on a playmat with squeaking toys and soft blocks. Laying down was frustrating, but it was all Faith could do. Cassandra hummed as she plumped cushions on the tiny sofa, dusted her bookshelves, folded the laundry, and continued making the house look inviting. Faith knew she did this every day, but today there was a tension in Cassandra, in the way she held herself. Even then, Faith knew something big was happening.

The scene went dark for a moment, and when she blinked her eyes open, she was laying across Dean's knees, and he was stroking her tiny torso gently, eyes focused on her as beside him, Castiel talked with Cassandra. He saw her eyes flutter open and smiled, reaching down to kiss her forehead gently and she surprised them all by calling him Daddy. Dean started laughing, making her repeat it for Castiel and Cassandra, propping her up on his lap as though that would help them hear better. They wanted to hear Faith say their names too, and she happily babbled them, Mommy and Cassandra. She didn't understand why Cassandra looked upset at that.

She remembered feeling strong enough to stand, to walk about the way Cassandra did, but something held her back. They weren't there. It wasn't right without Mommy and Daddy. They would feel bad. She could remember waiting, hoping every day that they would appear, their serious expressions melting into big smiles when they saw her. She knew why she had to stay with Cassandra, for safety, and because to everyone else Cassandra was her Mommy, but that didn't mean she loved her like she did Mommy and Daddy. And the day came finally, after weeks of waiting, and Daddy was at the door looking tired as he greeted Cassandra. She hadn't even waited to see if Castiel was there before she toddled over to Dean, who hugged her with that shocked expression on her face. He asked Cassandra how long she'd been walking as they hugged, and fussed over her as Cassandra revealed that he'd witnessed her first steps.

As she was recalling her first birthday party, which Cassandra had gone over the top for, and Castiel had softly reminded her to act like all the other children her age, she became aware of the others in their camp, settling down in their bags for the night, Gabriel promising to keep watch, all three of them giving Faith and Dean as much privacy as they could in the tiny space they'd claimed for themselves and protected. Was anyone else aware of how monumental it was that her memories of Dean and Castiel were unlocked? That she could remember every happy greeting, every tearful farewell, and the ache inside as she waited for them to return? Or were they respecting the fact that Dean was crying into her hair still, gripping her tightly, fighting back the strangled howls that coarsed through his throat. It wasn't like the Dean they knew, Faith was aware of that, but the father she knew was kind and considerate; he would get this emotional over something or someone he cared about. She cuddled closer to him and eventually, he began to calm down, stroking her long brown hair.

'You should get some sleep too, Faith,' he eventually choked out.

'Aren't you going to?'

'I will. But you need to rest up for the baby, okay?'

Faith nodded, and Dean helped her into her sleeping bag, before he resumed stroking her hair, trying to lull her off to sleep.

'Dad? What's going to happen about the baby?'

Dean shrugged.

'I don't know, Faith. Cas thinks it's all going to work out. I'm trying to have his optimism.'

'Are you disappointed in me?'

'No. You didn't choose this. I'm not happy with Gabriel, if anything.'

'Hey, I was just following orders!' Gabriel called softly from across the campfire. Dean bent closer to Faith.

'He um, he didn't … it was just angel mojo, right?'

Faith blinked several times before she realised exactly what Dean was asking.

'Dad, really?  _Really_? Mom said I can't … that's gross. It's Gabe!'

'Hey, angels have feelings too,' Gabriel called over again. Faith snuggled down in her sleeping bag as Dean rolled his eyes over Gabriel's attitude.

'I wish Mom was here.'

'Me too, kid.'

Dean smoothed her hair one last time, bending to kiss her forehead. He remained sitting beside her, stroking her face gently, until she fell asleep. Dean looked up at Gabriel when he heard her breathing deepen and slow down, and Gabriel was already gazing back.

'No, I didn't screw your daughter for this baby. God told me to go talk to her, and he would give her the baby in that conversation. Dean, I love Faith to bits, but I'm not a pervy old man.'

'Casa Erotica,' Dean pointed out.

'Dax. And she's my niece.' Gabriel countered. Dean sighed.

'I wish I could tell Cas that she remembers everything.'

'Why can't you?'

'I can't keep calling him back for every tiny little thing. And even if I could, Faith can't handle it. I'm just hoping that Cas gets the jump on these antichrist kids soon.'

'Well, Cassidy's down already, correct? Three more to go. How hard can that be?'

* * *

Castiel and Sam were in Texas, on the outskirts of Austin, trying to spot Max among the crowds at a rodeo. They knew she was in town, but had so far missed her at all the places Gabriel had said she regularly visited. The rodeo was the second-to-last place on their list, apart from Max's foster house. It would be very unlucky for them to have to go to her house, so both of them were desperately hoping for results at the rodeo.

'Maybe she's using her powers. Remember Jesse? He could hide from angels if he wanted to,' Sam muttered under his breath. Castiel sighed, his shoulders slumping.

'Yes, I remember. I remember you and Dean intervening then as well. But Gabriel has kept tabs on all three of them, for as long as God has asked for. And they might be able to hide from angels, but they can't hide from my father.' Castiel said in a clipped tone, as he craned his neck again through the crowd.

'I don't see her,' Castiel finally admitted, sounding defeated.

'Foster house?' Sam asked gently. 'We should suit up, Fed it.'

'I don't think that's wise, Sam. We may have more luck in our normal clothes if we claim to be from an agency.'

Sam stared at Castiel, and he smiled sheepishly back.

'I did learn some things from Dean, you know.'

Sam raised his eyebrows and said nothing. Castiel missed the implication, and Sam sighed.

'Okay, so we're from the adoption agency, checking up on things. Tomorrow?'

Castiel nodded, and followed Sam away from the rodeo, unaware of the willowy girl who had been watching them the entire time behind her long, fine brown hair.


	28. Chapter 28

It had been a month since they had left their temporary safe house, and Faith's memory had been restored. In that month, they had managed to reach Illinois and realise they were lost. Garth had been navigating the entire time, but surprisingly, it was Gabriel and not Dean who got angry at the situation.

'We're on a tight schedule here, Fitzgerald! Faith has to be in Bethlehem in time to have this baby, don't you get that? The earlier we get there, the better. You don't think the place will be swarming with demons soon enough? We need to be there as soon as we can!'

'I'm sorry, okay? You think I want her to suffer?' Garth snapped back, his eyes flickering to Dean. Dean was looking between them both, his expression unwavering. Faith and Junior were a few yards away, pretending they couldn't hear the argument.

'Look,' Dean tried to sound calm, though Gabriel's hysterics were getting to him too. 'It's not so bad, we'll walk through town and head in the right direction, at least this brought us north, right? We can go around Lake Michigan, we'll get back on course.'

Junior perched on a wall, and Faith leaned against the brickwork next to him, watching as their fathers, and Faith's Uncle, debated what to do next.

'So, a werewolf, an angel and a hunter go on a hiking trip,' Junior began, and Faith rolled her eyes. 'With another werewolf and a neph-'

'Shut up!' Faith hissed, indicating with her hands that Junior needed to keep his voice down.

'Geez, sorry, trying to lighten the mood.' Junior sighed, and watched as Faith cradled her stomach gently. 'Why's it so bad to say what you are, anyway?'

'I don't know. Some Bible story. Why's it okay for you to go around with your werewolf face on all the time? Aren't you guys meant to look human sometimes?'

Junior just laughed.

'I'm not trying to piss you off, Faith. And I do look human.'

Faith shook her hair back, and raised her chin haughtily.

'So, some Bible story says you're not meant to exist?' Junior tried again.

'So, a plethora of books and movies say you're not meant to?' Faith countered, watching as her father continued to play peacemaker with Gabriel and Garth, and wishing that she had half of her father's patience.

'Faith, I'm actually interested, I don't know the lore. You don't have to pregnancy-hormone all over me.'

'Yeah, sure, blame the fact I'm pregnant at seventeen. Nice, Junior. Classy.'

'So I'm meant to believe you're just a total bitch?' Junior asked, and walked off to his father, leaving Faith alone on the wall. Junior's words shouldn't have gotten to her the way they did, because on some level Faith knew she wasn't the nicest person in the world, and Junior certainly didn't mean as much to her as Dax did, but his words still hurt. Her pride wouldn't let her call after him, to explain that she didn't really know what he was asking about, she just had the vague answers from her parents to go on.

She stood there, frustrated and angry, when she heard something, someone close by.

'Faith?'

She reeled around, but there was no one around. Her father was still head-to-head with Garth, Gabriel and now Junior. Faith was on her own.

'Hello?' She whispered cautiously.

'Hello. It is Faith, isn't it? That's the name I always hear.'

She looked around again, and caught her father's eye this time. Dean watched her with concern, and she forced a sheepish smile at him, before turning away and hissing between her teeth.

'Who are you?'

'Faith?' Dean called from the rest of their group. She barely looked around.

'Are you hiding from me?'

'No. I'm just not ready yet.'

'What does that mea-'

'Faith?' Dean was behind her, holding a hand flat against her back and leaning over her. 'Is everything okay?'

'Someone's talking to me, and I can't see them,' Faith pouted, still looking around.

'What did they say?'

Faith gave Dean a quick lowdown, and he laughed gently.

'Oh Faith, you did the same thing.'

Faith looked up at her father with an indignant expression as he pressed a hand gently to her stomach.

'So it's not talking in Enochian?'

* * *

Dax pulled the photograph out of his pocket that he had taken from Sam and Dean. At the time, he had taken it in the belief that he and Faith were leaving her parents behind, as a favour to her, but now it had another purpose.

He smoothed it out and looked at the tiny family, of a young girl that looked more like Faith than any of their other pictures. She was between her parents, the three of them posing at a restaurant table. Their heads were positioned so their eyes lined up, and Faith's blue eye was the same side as Castiel, her green eye beside Dean, so there were three of each colour in a row. All three of them looked happy, smiling at the camera as though there was nowhere else they would rather be than together.

Dax wasn't sure why he liked the photograph, he hadn't particularly liked Dean or Castiel after all. But there was something in their happy faces that he found himself gravitating towards. Maybe it was the knowledge that Faith had been inadvertently looking for her happy family to come back, and this was the proof of what she had lost. Maybe it was something that Dax had never had, in all his many lives, and it was as though he could live vicariously through Faith's history. Whatever it was, the picture gave him a comfort that he was sorely lacking with Stevie for company. She was crueler, more heartless than he had ever realised.

Maybe Dax had been too hasty in his reactions to Sam and Dean. Sam had been a hero of his for a long time, after all. But what could he do now? He'd chosen the protectiong of Stevie over his past with Faith.

She was asleep now, curled up in a sleeping bag against a tree, and Dax sat across the small fire they had built, staring at his photo like he held a secret he would never share with her. Stevie would never understand.

He saw her stir and hurriedly put the picture back in his pocket, his fingers grazing his cell phone as he did. And then he had an idea. Maybe it wasn't practical, maybe he would live to regret it after his treatment in the bunker, but Dax missed Faith more than he would have believed possible, and it was one way to know that she was okay. He hunched over his phone and scrawled a message to a number he had been given but was yet to use. He just had to hope that Sam would be reasonable.

* * *

Sam and Castiel had finally tracked down Max, or rather, she had tracked them down. They had tried a few disguises, and though they had gotten a lot of information on Max, they had never seen her. Most of the social workers and foster home staff described her as private, and quiet, and serious.

She had finally accosted them at a cafe a few blocks from the motel they were staying in, as Sam tucked into a Caesar salad and Castiel posed with a glass of water. She had sat between them, glaring at them through her thick chestnut hair.

'Why are you asking everyone you can find what they know about me?' She asked bluntly.

'Because we've been looking for you. We want to talk to you.' Castiel said as Sam chewed his mouthful hurriedly.

'I've been here the whole time.' Max sounded bored. Sam's mouth was still full.

'You may not be aware of it, but you have the ability to hide from me,' Castiel informed her.

'I'm aware. I know what I am, I know what my father was.'

Sam and Castiel swapped a look that was both anxious and excited.

'So why did you decide to come and talk to us finally?'

'Because it took me this long to work out what you were, why you were so interested in me. I thought you were my father, come back for me. But you're not. He's an angel. You're a human, but you seem to know more than most. Hunter, am I right?'

Sam nodded.

'Maybe we shouldn't discuss this in a diner full of people,' Sam said uneasily, starting to stand up from his chair. Max waved her hand and the entire diner froze in place, save for the three of them.

'Let's discuss it now. You're here to get rid of me. I want to go. Kill me.'

Sam fought the urge to smirk.

'You want to die?'

'I'm the rape child of a demon. I've spent my entire life in the care system. No one likes me at school, my grades suck, and when I can't keep my powers in, I get called a freak and punished for it. I'm sick of it. You're going to kill me anyway, what does it matter?'

Sam and Castiel exchanged another look, as though they were debating how serious Max was, and then, finally, Castiel unsheathed his angel blade. Max simply sat there, eyeing the blade carefully, making no move to defend herself.

'Not in a cafe, Castiel. We'd still have her body to deal with.' Sam urged him.

'I'll take care of it. I'm so sorry, Max.' Castiel sounded sincere, as he drove the blade into Max's chest. She slumped over the metal as her scream left her body in a strangled delay, and then it was gone, and Castiel was tucking his angel blade back into his sleeve.

'That seemed too easy,' Sam sighed. Castiel looked at him seriously.

'Perhaps, but we have been trying to get her for a month now. I don't call that easy. Who next, Flora or Stevie?'

'Flora. We'll see her coming.' Sam decided, as his cell phone beeped with a text. He read it, his eyebrows rising as he did so. 'And I think we just got a lead on Stevie.'

* * *

'So, it's the baby? The angel baby?' Faith asked her father. Dean smiled, and ruffled her hair.

'Yep. Took me ages to listen to you talking, but Cas was always listening in. Sam got there before me.'

'Why'd it take you so long?'

They were walking now, back in the usual formation of Garth and Junior in front, and Gabe behind them, Dean beside her as they walked. They had managed to set a new course, one that they thought may have actually saved them time.

'Faith … Cas and me, we never planned on having you. I mean, I wanted a kid one day, but I wasn't expecting one day to be so soon. It just took me a while to get used to the idea that you were coming.'

Faith thought back to the memories she'd analysed, and the look on her father's face when he first held her. His expression met up well with what she was being told. She tucked herself under his arm as they made their way across yet another field.

'So what should I do with this baby?'

'Talk to it. Get to know it. Give them a name.'

Dean made it sound so simple, when it was really anything but. How did you start talking to the thing growing in your stomach? He reached a hand out again, and touched her abdomen.

'Hey little one. I'm Dean.'

'It knows,' Faith rolled her eyes.

'The baby said that?' Dean seemed more excited suddenly. Had the same thing happened when Faith was a foetus?

'No, I did. Why wouldn't the baby know someone so important?'

Dean stopped walking, staring at his daughter quietly, before he pulled her into his arms in a crushing hug, and she threw her arms around him in return.

'Thank you, Faith.' He whispered, and kissed her forehead. She felt closer to him than ever before.


	29. Chapter 29

'The baby's talking?'

'Yeah, so says Faith. I can't hear anything when I touch the bump. She won't let anyone else near it, she doesn't like talking to it, she's treating Junior like crap again. This is the sort of thing I'm glad I missed out on.'

'Yes, pre-teen Faith sounded like a handful. Gabriel hated all the girls about five years ago.'

'I was joking, Cas. I'll take moody Faith, so long as I have her.'

'Oh.'

'So how's the search going?'

'Max volunteered to die. She said she was unhappy and knew it was coming. She welcomed it. I had thought she was trying to fool us, but she didn't. We've tracked Flora down again, we'll hopefully get rid of her in the next few days. How is Faith? Is she coping better?'

'I just said-'

'I meant, after she pretended to have morning sickness. How is she in herself, is that the expression?'

'She's … well, we're bonding. She misses you. She remembered everything and she keeps talking about when she was a kid. Did you know she could walk for about a week before she actually took her first steps? She was waiting for us.'

'She remembers us? How?'

'I don't know, Junior and Gabe made s'mores and next thing I know, she's zoning out and when she comes back to earth, she says she remembers. I think it's taken her mind off Dax, at least a little.'

'S'mores? What are- oh, Sam says he made those with her one time. When we were in Europe.'

'Europe … you know, when Faith's had this kid, we should go back. There's a lot of places we didn't visit.'

'I'd like that very much, Dean, but maybe when we've had some time as a family? I miss you both.'

'Miss you too. I don't think it'll be much longer though, she seems really pregnant. I guess angel pregnancies are shorter than human ones.'

'How long do you expect we have?'

'I don't know, a few weeks?'

'Okay, we'll do our best to get Flora and Stevie in that time. Sam says that Dax has been in contact, we're trying to lock down where he and Stevie are while we concentrate on Flora.'

'Hold up, Dax has been in contact? What does that mean?'

'It means Dax has been texting, since about two weeks ago. Sam's trying to go easy on him, see if we can convince him to give Stevie over somehow. He's doing his best.'

'He's not been in touch with Faith.'

'He's under the impression we're all still in the bunker. Sam's playing along, lying about Faith's progress. We still don't trust him.'

'Good, let's keep it that way. I'd better go, the others are getting up. Faith'll screw if she realises I'm talking to you.'

'I could speak with her? I'd like that.'

'I know, babe, but it's not a good idea. Last time, when we talked to Chuck, and you had to go, it got to her pretty bad. And now she remembers everything, she misses you even more. I don't want anything to be harder on her.'

'It feels like you're punishing me, Dean. For knowing she might have been alive all this time and not sharing that with you.'

'Cas, that's not what's happening. Like, yeah, I was mad about that, but we have her now-'

'You have her now.'

'I'm thinking of her, alright? Isn't that what Chuck told me to do? Put her first. God Cas, if it was about what I wanted, we'd be back in the bunker, we'd be sleeping together every night, and she'd be learning her angel powers by day. We'd have an apple pie life. But I don't get that, because she's pregnant from some holy order and you've got to work your ass off to kiss Chuck's ass. I don't get to hold you at night, I don't get to be inside you, I don't get to go back on a boat in Venice with you, or back up the Eiffel Tower, or anything I want. I haven't had what I wanted for a hell of a long time.'

'Dean …'

'I love you, Cas, okay? I love you, and it won't be long. And then it can be just the three of us.'

'I love you too, Dean.'

'I gotta go, Faith's coming over.'

* * *

Faith had been awake for a while, laying down in her sleeping bag and listening to the conversation her father was having on the phone, feeling numb as she listened to everything that her parents said. She couldn't tell if Dean thought he was out of range of her advanced hearing, or if he had set it up for her to overhear everything. But she got the feeling that she wasn't supposed to know about Dax, or that her mother wanted to see her as desperately as she wanted Castiel. She definitely didn't need to hear her father hint at their sex life.

She lifted her eyes to Gabriel's face, who was watching Dean and wincing. She knew he could hear it all as well.

'Gabe?'

'Oh, he thinks he's far enough away. I wouldn't go in his head right now, he's picturing the last time they-'

'Gabe!'

Her uncle grinned, and gestured at Dean, who looked over at them during his long rant about Europe.

'Please Faith, make it stop. You have the power.'

Faith rolled her eyes at her dorky angelic uncle, but crawled out of her sleeping bag and stood up, striding over to her father. He flipped his phone closed and smiled at her.

'Hey Princess, good sleep?'

'Uh-huh, considering.' She gestured to her swollen stomach, that Garth and Gabriel had spent the previous day trying to measure so they could compare to a human pregnancy. She had felt like a piece of meat in their hands, hating the way the pregnancy took away her privacy. Everyone wanted to grab at her, to listen to the baby or feel it kick. Dean had only intervened when Garth had muttered something about an 'internal examination' which Faith was pretty sure she would never want to experience.

'Won't be long now,' Dean smiled, and Faith concentrated on his chin, rather than look in his eyes. She debated whether to bring up Dax, or the fact she and Gabriel could hear everything, but Dean carried on talking about the stupid baby. 'We're nearly there, at least. Couple more days of hiking and we'll be there, then you can rest up. Picked a name yet?'

Faith shrugged.

'Why'd I have to do it?'

'Faith-'

'No, I hate this! I feel like such an ass being pregnant. I never wanted it. It feels like it's changed me, I used to have fun, I used to enjoy hunting, and now I have to worry about some cancerous angel leech growing in me. And I have to name it too? Dad, I just want to go back to how things were!'

There was a long pause, and Faith dropped her gaze from Dean's chin to his feet.

'Dad, I didn't mean- I meant-'

'Leave it, Faith.' Dean sounded like he was trying to mask the hurt she'd accidentally caused. 'I got it.'

'I meant me, and Dax. Not you, and Mom, and uncle Sam. And even Garth and Junior aren't so bad. I guess I just … Daddy, I need Dax back.'

Dean sighed.

'Looks like Garth's setting up breakfast.'

He strode away, towards the campfire and left Faith standing there, fuming silently. He was supposed to have confessed about Dax, and given Faith some reassurance about him. She folded her arms into the dip between her swollen stomach and her breasts, and kept her back to her father, even as Gabe interjected his own thoughts into her head.

_You heard him. He's protecting you. Don't forget about what Dax is._

_Screw you, uncle Gabe. Don't forget he was my only family for eleven years._

_What am I, chopped liver?_

_I repeat, uncle Gabe. Screw you._

* * *

Dax deleted every text from Sam, worried that Stevie would check his messages, but he still clung to them all like a lifeline. The ones that said Faith was doing okay, she'd been flying again today. Yes, she missed him too, but she needed to spend time with her parents, couldn't Dax understand that?

He almost felt like he would be welcomed back into the bunker, whatever else Sam and Dean thought about the Men of Letters. However much they'd bastardised the place. But he couldn't trust his own feelings anymore. Everything felt clouded without Faith around, with her obstinate behaviour and act-before-you think attitude to her job. He missed their balance. He hated himself for feeling so weak, so dependent on another person, when in all his lives he'd only ever been dependent on his elixir. But there was no denying that Faith had made an impact. And maybe she was worth dealing with the asshole uncle and parents for, right?

'Come on loser, there's a couple of werewolves nearby.'

Dax cringed internally at Stevie's words, though he smiled and nodded at her. He had only learned in the last few days what hunting had meant to Stevie. It was a smorgasbord of different hearts to try, and she ate every one with relish. Dax might have lived hundreds of lives, but he'd never been so callous about the beings he'd killed to make the elixir. At least, he wanted to believe so. He was regretting meeting up with her, but he didn't see how he could get away now, either.

He followed her as she sniffed out the werewolves, and when she stopped walking, pausing in a bush under a low-hanging tree, he ran into her. Dax rubbed his chest as she elbowed his side, and then pressed a finger to her lips. They watched the two men talking, laughing over a campfire. One was older, gangly and awkward-looking, and the other was around their age, with model-like good looks. Stevie licked her lips.

'The young one will be tasty,' she muttered, and then jumped in fright as someone moved closer to where they hid, peering into the bushes. Someone familiar to both of them. Gabriel. Dax scanned the area, trying to work out why on earth Gabriel would be hanging around a couple of werewolves, and he spotted the last people he expected to see. Dean, standing not too far away, looking over at Faith, who was curled up on a rock, her wings spread out around her, practically hiding her from view. Dax had forgotten about the wings, and he hated them all over again as they obscured Faith's face, her entire body.

She sat up suddenly, her eyes raking over the place where Dax and Stevie hid, though she hadn't paid any attention to Gabriel and he hadn't said a word either. Dax realised she was using her mind-reading ability. Could she hear him? Could she forgive him?

Their eyes locked through the bushes, and hers widened with surprise, her mouth falling open. And then everything was a blur, as Stevie ran out of the bush, set on attacking the Abercrombie model. Faith and Gabriel moved together to protect him, and Dean jumped into the fray too. All Dax could see was leaves, branches, and the blur of the supernatural, all he could hear was incoherent shouts and screams, and then everything stopped. Not a sound, not a whisper, not any kind of movement. He was afraid to look, afraid to approach. What was he meant to do?


	30. Chapter 30

Faith was gulping down large breaths of air, trying to process what had just happened. She had been sulking while Garth and Junior cooked, listening to her father worry about her, when something had caught her attention nearby. Like someone had whispered her name. She had looked, and sworn she could see Dax - but it was too unlikely, it was just wishful thinking - and then Stevie had appeared out of nowhere and attacked Junior.

The world had felt as though it was slowing down, and yet Faith couldn't stop Stevie's attack. She couldn't protect Junior. Nor could Garth, or Gabriel, or Dean. They had all reacted as soon as they realised he was under attack, but slowly, his screams of pain penetrating the air as they all tried to hurry towards him. Garth was there first, trying to wrestle Stevie off his son, and then Gabriel used his power to eject the antichrist from the werewolf. She went skidding several metres away, and Dean changed his trajectory to run after her.

In the meantime, Faith had finally made it to Junior's side, where she was gulping the huge breaths of air. His face was bloodied, and there was a large gash on his chest which was spurting blood. Faith winced at the gore in front of her, because she could see the pale lines of Junior's ribs through the red mottled, broken skin, and the flesh beneath.

'She didn't take his heart, there's still a chance, okay Garth?' Gabriel was shouting. Faith could hear him, but she didn't register the words, not really. She was on another plane of existence totally. One where, at the age of two-and-a-half, she looked down on someone else writhing in pain from a bloodied wound. She had tried to heal Cassandra, the way she had healed a bird with a broken wing, but it didn't work. Cassandra had died in her tiny hands. She repeated the action now, extending her hands, feeling them warm the air below, and then the shaking pale body that she placed them on, willing with all her might for the wound to close, for the blood to stop, for this person to be okay.

She noticed two hands beside her own, larger and hairier, but both of them doing the same thing, working to heal the dying man below them. Every noise, every other movement, they'd all stopped as she willed with all her might for him to heal. Her uncle's assistance was welcome. After all, he was an archangel, even more powerful than her mother, or herself. If anyone could help her, he could. Slowly, the bleeding stopped, and the flesh began to knit together again, leaving a long white line where the wound had been, like an old scar. She sat back, exhausted, clutching the baby bump and watching as colour slowly flooded Junior's body again. Gabriel stayed kneeling over Junior's body, trying to rouse him, and Faith looked around, at where her father was racing back to the growth she had thought she had seen Dax in. Garth was stumbling back to the group, panting and clutching a stitch in his side. He fell down by Junior's head.

'Is he … is he … okay?' Garth gasped out, grabbing his son's head. Faith looked down at her hands on the baby bump, rather than have to look at Garth. She felt so ashamed of herself.

'He will be. If Faith hadn't tried to heal him when she did, there'd be no chance.'

Faith could feel their eyes burning into her, but she refused to look up. It wasn't true. Gabriel was trying to be nice to her and it was sickening. The truth was that she was as bad as before when it came to healing anything bigger than a bird. It had all been her uncle. Dean collapsed next to her then, wrapping his arms around her protectively.

'We didn't catch them. Stevie was too fast. I hope Cas and Sam know what they're in for.' He noticed Junior then, lying in a pool of blood. 'Is he-'

'He's alive,' Gabriel said quietly. Faith buried herself into her father's arms, trying to block out the conversation. 'He'll need a couple of days to rest though. We need to find somewhere to keep him safe.'

'That's going to be easy, in Pennsylvania.' Garth rolled his eyes, and Faith looked up, feeling not-useless for the first time in weeks.

'I know someone in Pennsylvania. How far away are we from Pittsburgh?' Her voice sounded shaky, and she knew her guilt was affecting it.

'We just passed Fallingwater, so not too far. It'll probably take us a few hours.' Dean stroked her hair as he answered her.

'I'll call him, see if he'll come pick us up, that'll save some time, right? And that'll be good for Junior.' She made herself stand up and step away from the crowd, so she didn't have to look at Junior's motionless body any longer, and so she could have some privacy to make the call.

* * *

'So who is this guy?' Dean asked as they waited at the fence bordering the field. Garth and Gabriel were still with Junior, who was yet to stir.

'Another hunter. He bust his leg up pretty good so he's on some down time right now. Not his choice, his girlfriend made him. She's the one coming to pick us up. She knows about hunting, but she's not really involved. I think she thinks we're all crazy.'

'She's half right.' Dean smiled. 'Are we all going to fit in the car?'

'Yeah, she drives an SUV. We'll have tonnes of room. She's leaving the kids with him.'

'Do I get names?'

'She's called Claire, he's called Ben. The kids are Joe and Lisa.'

Dean nodded, and looked back into the field.

'You did a great job with Junior, you know.'

'No I didn't.' She leaned against the wooden post of the fence. 'It was all Uncle Gabe. I still can't heal anyone. If Uncle Gabe hadn't helped, Junior would probably be dead.'

Dean didn't reply, and she raised her head to look at him. He was watching her with a sad expression on his face. He opened his arms wordlessly and she leaned into them, snuggling close.

'Trust me, Princess. You did good.'

A car rumbled up to the gate then, and they both looked over as it stopped and a woman jumped out, her dirty blonde hair scooped up into a messy ponytail. Faith moved out of her father's arms to greet the woman, who stopped and stared at her protruding stomach.

'Faith, you're pregnant?'

'Uh, yeah. Long story. Um, this is my dad, Dean. Daddy, this is Claire.' She waited for Dean to shake Claire's hand. 'Claire, Junior's back here. He got attacked.'

Claire shuddered for a moment, before steeling herself.

'Okay, show me. We'll move him as carefully as we can.' They walked back across the field to where Garth, Gabriel and Junior were gathered, and Claire helped everyone but Faith pick up Junior. 'The car isn't far, but we'll go as slowly as we can, to keep him comfortable, okay? Faith, you open up the car, okay?'

Faith nodded, grabbing Claire's keys from her pocket and leading the way back to the car. They laid Junior across the middle seat, with Garth and Gabriel crowding into the back of the car, and Faith sitting up front with Claire and Dean.

'So what attacked him?' Claire asked as she pulled away, heading towards her house.

'An anti-Christ.'

'What the heck were you doing messing around an anti-Christ?' Claire's voice went up an octave.

'My mom's hunting them. We're trying to avoid them.'

'Jesus Faith, and in your condition. You should stay with us until the baby's born. Where's Dax anyway? Don't tell me that boy ran when you told him you were having his kid.'

Faith groaned, and buried her head into Dean's chest once more.

'And what's all this mom and dad talk?'

'I found my birth parents. This is my Dad,' Faith nodded at Dean. 'Dad's a hunter too.'

'Figures. And your mom?'

Faith wasn't sure that she could confide in Claire. What if she told Ben, and Ben tried to kill her?

'Anyway, I can't stay with you until the baby's born. We've got somewhere to be. We'll just make sure Junior's okay and then we'll carry on. And Dax is a long story.'

'Well, Joe and Lisa are going to be sleeping over some friends places tonight, so Ben and I have all the time in the world for your long stories.'

Faith decided not to respond, and instead looked over at Junior, who was still unconscious on the backseat. For a moment, she could have sworn his wolf-like features had diminished and showed him as a normal guy, albeit a chiseled, slightly scruffy, good-looking guy. Dean squeezed her shoulder, and the car fell silent until they pulled up outside Ben and Claire's house. Claire passed Faith the keys again, and she went forward to open up the house as everyone else carried Junior into the house, and laid him down on the couch in the front room. They heard crutches tapping on the tiles in the kitchen, and they all looked up as someone hobbled into view. His eyes locked on Faith, and her bump.

'Hi Faith. Boy, have you got a lot of explaining to do.'

'Oh, not you too, Ben!' Faith complained, but walked forward to hug him hello anyway. 'Claire's demanding stories too.'

Ben laughed, and looked up, freezing as he did so. Dean, Garth and Gabriel were all staring back at him in surprise.

'It's uncanny,' Garth muttered to Gabriel.

'Tell me about it. Looks like Faith isn't the only one with something to explain.'

Dean glanced at the two of them for a moment, annoyed by their atttitude, and then turned back to Ben, who was almost his double. They took each other in for a moment, before Dean cleared his throat.

'Is your last name Braden?'

'Yeah, how'd you know?' Ben sounded uncomfortable. Dean looked him over again.

'Lucky hunch.'


	31. Chapter 31

Dax felt sick. He'd felt sick since he'd seen Stevie fly out at that model guy, and watched the attack happen in slow motion, while he was frozen to the spot. He'd felt sick watching as Dean and the other guy ran after her, intent on killing her, while Faith put all of her attention on the model as he howled in pain, and then quickly went quiet. And then suddenly he was nowhere near the little scene, but in a built up area, and Stevie was pacing in front of him, looking angry.

'What the hell? Why was Faith there with those werewolves? Why did she have  _wings_?'

Dax didn't know what to do. She had her wings out, it was hard to convince Stevie that it was some misunderstanding. But he knew the worst thing he could do would be to tell Stevie the truth. Some old, annoying loyalty to his girlfriend made him scramble for a realistic cover.

'She must have been dressing up, to lure a spirit or a creature or something. She did that sometimes on a hunt.'

He knew it was a weak story. Stevie must have known it too.

'What, so she was bait for that werewolf? Was that the Winchesters with them?'

Dax nodded hurriedly.

'Yeah. I guess she's going around with them now. Some parents, huh?'

Stevie rolled her eyes.

'You're lucky you're still useful, Dexter.'

She stalked out of the room and slammed the door behind her, and Dax found himself putting a hand over his heart, rubbing the skin on his scrawny chest worriedly. She would eat his heart, wouldn't she?

* * *

The atmosphere was tense, as Ben and Dean took each other in, and Faith looked between them like a spectator at a tennis match.

'How did you know my name?' Ben repeated. Dean rubbed his forehead.

'It's complicated.'

'I'm giving you food and a place to sleep tonight. I'm agreeing to look after a werewolf when I have children. You can answer me.'

Dean looked at Faith for a moment, who shrugged back at him. He closed his eyes, and squeezed the bridge of his nose.

'I need a drink.'

'No, Daddy. You've been doing so well without drinking.' Faith reminded him. Dean shot her an annoyed glance, and she instinctively took a step back. Dean had never looked at her like that.

'Daddy?' Ben sneered. 'Faith, what do you mean, Daddy?'

Faith knew he was trying to avoid bringing up the idea that she was raised in an orphanage, afraid of insulting her.

'I mean, Dean's my dad, Ben.'

'And yours,' Garth said to Gabriel, too loudly to be ignored. He shrugged at Dean, who looked furious by now. 'Oh, come on, Dean! He looks way more like you than Sam ever did.'

Faith looked between Ben and Dean again, scrutinising their faces.

'I don't see it.'

'Can we focus?' Ben snapped. 'You need to start talking.' He glared at Dean, who folded his arms across his chest, unused to someone else taking charge.

'I knew you when you were a kid, Ben. Your mom and I go way back.'

Ben's eyes narrowed.

'So why don't I remember you?'

'Because I made an angel wipe your memory, and your mom's memory, so you didn't get caught up in this life.'

They glared at each other.

'Fat lot of good that did, huh?'

'I'm sorry, Ben. I am. I didn't want this for you, or for Faith-'

'All I can hear is the excuse of a deadbeat Dad.'

'So far as I know Ben, you aren't my kid. Lisa swore blind that it was some other guy. Don't blame me for being deadbeat. If I'd known, if there was any way I could've found out, don't you think I would've tried for you?'

Ben shrugged, and Dean moved closer to him.

'Trust me, Ben, I would've done anything, anything to make sure you were okay, that you were safe. The year I spent with you and your mom, it was one of the best years of my life. And then I had to put a gun in your hand when you were eleven years old. I couldn't do that to you, Ben. Whether you were my kid or not.'

They stared at each other for a long moment, before Faith stepped closer, slipping her arm through her fathers.

'So, Ben's my brother?'

'I think so,' Ben sighed, focusing on the petite teenager instead of the man she stood beside. 'Did he ditch out on your mom too?'

Faith glanced nervously up at Dean, who looked back down at her with pursed lips. She could see him considering the same thing that she was. Could they trust Ben with the truth about her mother?

'And how comes it's okay for Faith to be a hunter? She's not even eighteen yet!'

They traded another look, and Ben hobbled forward on his crutches.

'If we're really family, you'll stop excluding me.' He looked Dean up and down. 'And don't worry, there's no chance I'm going to call you Daddy.'

'I wasn't asking you to, Ben. It's complicated.'

'I really wish you'd stop using that word,' Ben sneered. 'How about we talk about the werewolf in the room then, huh? What happened to that guy? Why's Faith calling us up after months of silence to ask for our help in saving a damn werewolf?'

Dean sighed, and squeezed Faith's hand gently.

'Okay, but you probably want to sit down for this.'

* * *

Sam and Castiel were back in the New York Public Library, looking for Flora, asking around for anyone who might have seen her. No one seemed to recognise their description of the little girl, even when Sam claimed that she was his daughter, who had run away and he was worrying. The security guards let Castiel view the CCTV footage, but there was no sign of her in any of the tapes, though they only stretched back a week.

They left the building together after hours of trying to hunt her down, walking down the busy sidewalk and scanning the area for the petite girl.

'So, what are our options?' Sam asked, winding his way past a group of tourists and a newspaper stand that they seemed intent on squishing him into. Castiel merely walked at the edge of the sidewalk.

'We are in the most densely populated city in the United States, and we are looking for one person in amongst over eight million. I'd say our options are limited at best.'

'Yeah, me too.' Sam sighed. 'So should we go grab something to eat somewhere and regroup?'

'Sure. Where would you like to eat?'

'I don't know, we could grab something from a vendor and go eat around Central Park?'

Castiel nodded, and they headed up the island towards the giant park, following the pathway until Sam found a vendor to buy a hot dog and a soda from. They continued towards the carousel, and the Alice In Wonderland statues, where Castiel stopped dead. Sam took a few paces ahead of him before he realised that the angel was no longer with him, and then he doubled back to see what was going on.

'She's here, she's with us, I can feel her warping reality around us.'

'Cas?'

'Sam, she's hiding from me. You have to kill her, she won't allow me near.' Sam blinked at him, and Castiel forced him ahead with his powers. 'GO!'

Sam was launched almost into the carousel, and found himself on a horse three behind a familiar-looking head. She turned slowly, her expression bland, and her eyes glowing eerily, and Sam was once again launched off the carousel, landing a few feet away from the ride. Flora appeared above him as he blinked his eyes open.

'You're just a man.'

'Flora.'

'Sam Winchester, the great hunter, the incessant demon blood drinker, the great vessel of satan! It all means nothing. You're just a man.'

'Listen, Flora, this isn't what you-'

'Silence!' She shrieked, and Sam found himself choking, unable to continue talking. She placed a dainty, ballet-pump-covered foot onto his chest. 'Do you think I don't know? Do you think I haven't amassed a sea of knowledge of what I am and what you are and what you're up to with that pathetic excuse for an angel?'

Sam gagged again, trying to talk back.

'Uh-uh, I've read the books. You're not going to sweet-talk-puppy-dog me into screwing myself over, Sam. So what's the deal? Castiel too scared by the power of an anti-Christ? WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO KI-ARRRRGHHHH!'

Blood bubbled out of her mouth, black and tar-like, and she looked down at the blade protruding from her chest. There was a grunt, and her body jolted, before it fell to the floor besides Sam. He looked up to a panting Castiel.

'Sorry Sam. I needed her destracted.' Castiel waved a hand, and Sam gasped, knowing he was able to talk again.

'I'd have done the same thing, Cas. One to go.'

Castiel pursed his lips and nodded.

'I'm dreading taking on Stevie, even with Dax's help.'

'Me too. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.'

* * *

'So she's part angel. And pregnant,' Ben recapped, glaring at his father but stabbing a finger in his sister's direction. 'And the older werewolf is the legendary Garth. And you're an angel?' He stabbed a finger at Gabriel.

'Archangel.'

'Like it matters.'

Gabriel rolled his eyes.

'Does in Heaven.'

'And you're all on some mission from God?' Ben ignored Gabriel's comeback. 'You actually spoke to God? You really are beyond any other hunter, aren't you?' Ben shook his head.

'Look, Ben, I know it's messed up-'

'You're telling me it's messed up! I should gank the lot of you, right now!'

'Ben?' Faith's voice was shaking. 'Ben, please, don't. Don't you remember that case in Georgia? And the one in Colorado?'

'Well, now I know how you got out of those jams. Were you ever going to tell me?'

'I didn't even know, Ben! I only found out when I met Dad!'

Ben shook his head, and looked to the floor.

'So what now?' Dean asked gently. 'Do you want us to go? Can we stay? What do you want, Ben?'

Ben sighed, still looking at the floor, his hands now clutching his crutches where they rested in the corner of his chair.

'You can stay. The injured werewolf needs to rest, doesn't he? We'll talk some more in the morning.'

Dean nodded, smiling faintly.

'You're a good man, Ben.'

'Whatever.' Ben shook his head to rouse himself, then pulled him up on his crutches. 'Faith, you can take Lisa's room. Garth, you and Dean can share Joe's room. We'll leave the werewolf on the couch, and the archangel can do whatever it is he needs to do.'

Ben left the room, the sounds of his crutches tapping as he went into the kitchen to talk to Claire. Dean looked around at Garth, Gabriel and Faith.

'At least he's giving us a roof over our heads.'

'Daddy, he'll be okay. Ben's not nearly as harsh as he thinks he is.'

'You sounded pretty scared of him.' Dean pointed out.

'I wasn't. I was just sad. I mean, Ben's great, and I love that he's my brother, but you and he,' she sighed. 'He's stubborn, that's all. But he'll see.'

Dean raised his eyebrows at Garth, who shrugged back.

'Guess it's time for bed? We should take it in turns to watch over Junior though, in case he wakes up.'

'I'll take first watch,' Faith decided, sinking onto the floor beside Junior's head.

'Faith-'

'Daddy, I can't do much. Let me at least do this.'

Dean rubbed an eyebrow with his thumb, but nodded, and walked out of the room, heading for the stairs. Gabriel winked at Garth, and tugged him along to do the same, leaving Faith alone with Junior.


	32. Chapter 32

Faith had settled against the front of the sofa that Junior lay on, her knees propped in front of her, the swollen lump of her pregnancy bump wedged uncomfortably in the space. She lay her hands on the bulge, and spoke to the baby, grateful that all the adults in the house had gone to bed, or at least left her alone in the room with Junior. At least she could communicate with the baby silently, in her head.

_Hi, baby._

_Hello, Faith._

_So, what are you?_

_A baby, like you said._

_Yeah, I know, I got that. I mean, I meant … Uncle Gabe put you in there. You're not a normal baby._

_Nor were you, Faith._

_You know too much for a regular baby._

A noise from behind made Faith turn her head, and she saw Junior moving restlessly, rubbing his face and groaning quietly. He was finally waking up. She turned around as best she could to look at him, and his eyes flickered open. He looked right at her, before looking around at Ben and Claire's place, and Faith waited patiently for his assessment.

'What happened?' His voice sounded weak, strained. Had she and Gabriel not healed him correctly?

'You got attacked. It wasn't pretty.'

'I remember. I thought I was dying. Unless I'm in Heaven?' Junior thudded his head backwards against the couch cushions.

'I doubt I'm in your Heaven,' Faith scoffed.

'Bet you would be,' Junior said softly.

'Well, anyway, Uncle Gabe helped you. He healed you, and you passed out.'

Junior merely looked back at Faith with his huge, hazel eyes, before shifting his position on the couch and grimacing in pain.

'Ahhhhh!'

'What? What is it?' Faith felt exasperated.

'My chest hurts,' Junior groaned, clutching at the site that Stevie had torn. Faith maneuvred herself around to face him, and knelt up, placing her hands over the area and concentrating. Maybe she couldn't stitch a wound up, but perhaps she had enough in her to ease the ache? Junior stopped writhing after a few moments, and calmed down enough to watch her progress. She turned to look at him eventually.

'All better?'

'Yeah, thanks,' he caught up one of her hands. 'Are you sure you didn't help Gabriel to heal me?'

'Trust me, I'm not strong enough to do that.'

Junior was watching her intently, stroking the back of her hand, but she didn't pull away from him.

'I think you are. The only problem is how much you believe it.'

Faith couldn't look away from his eyes. If she looked at those, she couldn't even tell that he was a werewolf. He seemed so sincere, so kind compared to how she'd treated him. It made her feel even worse.

'Yeah well, turns out I'm just as much a monster as you are.'

'Well, thanks to my silver bullet, I feel pretty human.'

'You're annoying when you do that.'

Junior smirked, winding his fingers between hers.

'Don't you feel human too?' He whispered. 'Because you sound like your dad in my dad's stories.'

Faith felt her cheeks burning, and still, she couldn't look away from Junior. There was a tightness in her chest, and a buzzing in the atmosphere that she wasn't used to. It felt like the world was telling her that Junior was about to kiss her, and she was going to like it, and then Dax would be nothing but a chapter in her past. She was trying to resist it, but the world seemed to know that too.

'I feel like a whale.'

Junior's expression changed, to one that made it easier to ignore the world. He was pitying her, she could see it in his eyes. She wasn't about to be pitied.

'Faith, you're not, you're-'

'Don't lie to me, Junior. Even if you think you're being nice, just don't lie.'

'You're beautiful,' he finished off, ignoring her protests. 'Must be the angel in you.'

'That's cheesy.'

'But does it work? That's what matters.' He smirked, and Faith rolled her eyes, making to turn back around. But Junior still had a hold of her hand, and he tugged her back closer, and she found her mouth colliding with his anyway. It was a brief kiss, a short brush of lips against each other, and yet it seemed to carry so much weight. Faith leaped back as best she could with her protruding stomach, no longer able to look anywhere near Junior. She moved over to an armchair and curled up on it, circling her baby bump.

Junior was bound to mention it, to talk about how the kiss had occured. He was - God help her - going to talk about his feelings. Faith wasn't going to be able to cope with that, she wasn't even sure of her own.

_Junior's nice. He's been making an effort since you met. Don't write him off._

Faith wanted to kid herself that it was the baby telling her that silently, but she knew it coming from her own conscious. She really wasn't ready to deal with that.

"Faith?" Junior spoke quietly, his tone soft. "You know, you're not going to pregnant forever. So maybe once you've had this baby, maybe then I could take you out?"

"I'd be a teen mom," Faith pointed out.

"Maybe I don't care. Maybe I don't see the wings, or the baby bump, or when you get annoyed at me. Maybe I see the way you talk to your uncle and love your father and miss your mom. Maybe I see the heart behind the front. And I like it."

Faith held her breath for a moment, before climbing back out of the armchair, and stepping slowly back over to Junior, who sat up when he realised she was on the move. And then she lowered herself back to the floor in front of him, placing a hand back on his scarred chest.

"I must be crazy." She shook her head. He placed his hand back over hers, tracing across the skin there again.

"Me too," Junior whispered, as Faith moved closer, and kissed him this time. She felt a surge of lust shoot through her as they made contact, something that had never happened with Dax, and she sprang away once again.

"Faith?"

"We can't."

"Because I'm a werewolf?"

"Because I promised God, and my mom." She sat back against the body of the sofa. "I want to. I do. But if we … if you and I … we'll end up in Purgatory. And I can't do that to my parents, not after years apart."

They were silent for a few moments.

"You know, I'm heading for Purgatory anyway."

"Maybe you'll get forgiven. For helping me do what I need to do for this baby. Maybe then you won't."

Junior reached a hand out, and stroked her long brown hair back from her face.

"Put a good word in for me, then."

She grabbed his hand, and wound their fingers together.

"Of course."

* * *

"Is Sam okay?" Dean asked down the phone. Castiel sighed on the other end.

"Yes. Flora was strong, but she was still a small girl. The damage seemed to be temporary. I'm making him rest for a day or two before we start looking for Stevie. How are you and Faith getting along?"

"Not great. We saw Stevie, and Dax. Somehow they caught up to us. She attacked Garth's kid, Junior? Faith and Gabe managed to heal him, but he's resting up now."

"Is Faith okay?"

"Yeah, just hating being pregnant. I don't blame her."

"It won't be much longer. And if Stevie's near you, then maybe Sam and I should come find you when he's able to move again?"

"Sounds good. We could definitely use the muscle if she's still nearby. We're at Ben Braden's house right now."

"What?"

"Yep. And he looks like I did at his age. Lisa said he wasn't mine."

There was silence down the phone for a moment, before Castiel spoke again, his voice tender.

"Dean, I'm sorry. That you haven't had the chance to watch your children grow up."

"Ben doesn't want to know. He's made that clear. He's helped because he and Faith know each other, and that's about it."

"At least Faith wants to know," Castiel's voice was still gentle. "And so do I."

Dean sighed, and nodded at the cell in his hand.

"I'd better go, Cas. I left Faith watching Junior, but I should give her a rest. She's really pregnant, she needs it."

"Okay. I'll see you soon."

They hung up, and Dean crept out of his room, and down the stairs, where Garth was already standing, peeking around a doorframe. He joined him wordlessly, and Garth pointed across the room at where their children were laying together on the sofa, Junior's arm draped carefully around the baby bump and Faith's hand resting over the scar. They both looked so peaceful.

"Called it," Garth breathed. Dean stared at the werewolf draped across his small daughter, and tried not to feel a sense of loss. He had just gotten her back, how was she moving on already?


	33. Chapter 33

Faith blinked her eyes open, and saw Junior's face close to hers. His eyes were still closed, his breathing still heavy. She studied him closely, glad that he still seemed more human than wolf at that moment. And while he was still sleeping, she tried to pull his shirt down, to see the wound that Stevie had created.

"I think you have to check if he's okay with it before you do that," A voice spoke quietly from nearby. She turned her head, and saw Ben in the armchair that she had been in briefly the night before.

"I was checking his wound," she whispered back.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Ben asked. "I thought you were with that Dax kid."

Faith looked up at the ceiling. She didn't know how to answer, and she knew that, when he was awake, Junior would be asking the same questions. She changed the subject, making it clear that she wasn't about to discuss her love life.

"So, did you make peace with Dad last night?"

"He's your dad Faith, he's not mine."

Faith looked at him once again.

"But you're my brother. Half-brother."

Ben sighed, and got up.

"It's too late, Faith. We'll stay in touch, but we're not family. Not like that."

He walked out of the room, and Faith felt her heart sink. Why was family not as important to her brother as it was to her father and herself? She forced herself not to get upset over it. Yes, she would have loved to have that special bond with Ben, but there was so many other things to think about, that worrying over Ben's apathy would tip her over the balance and into a world of crazy. It was enough that she was pregnant - by two months, though her stomach was more like a seven-month pregnant lady's - and on the run from demons and antichrist, adjusting to the idea of being away from her mother after just finding him, working out her feelings about Dax and Junior without throwing another complication into the mix.

Gabriel walked into the room, and looked at Faith and Junior with a raised eyebrow.

"You trying to give Dean a heart attack?"

"No."

"Better get away from him, kid. Dean'd blow a fuse."

"Already seen it, Gabe," Dean joined them. He looked down at Faith with a neutral expression. "Is he feeling any better? Because we should head off as soon as we can."

"I don't know," Faith admitted. "It looked like he was doing better last night. We should let him sleep."

Dean pinched his lips together, but said nothing, and Faith wondered if he knew, if he had watched as she kissed him the night before. If he knew that just laying next to Junior right now made her heart flutter and stomach churn, made her skin tingle in a way she had never felt before. If he could tell that she was replaying the scene in her head over and over again, where she spotted Dax in the trees, and saw Stevie attack, and instead of wondering why Dax had betrayed her - again - or hidden from her, all she could think of was keeping Junior safe.

He had irritated her when they first met. His werewolf visage had been off-putting, and he had swapped between trying to be chivalrous and calling her out on her angry moments. She didn't know when things had begun to change. Maybe in the safe house, when they had discussed his silver bullet, or when he made the s'mores that unlocked the part of herself she hadn't been able to reach before. Or maybe it was because she liked that he challenged her, and didn't let her get away with throwing her weight around. Dax had always been too cowardly to make sure she did the right thing, and look how that had turned out?

Junior shifted beside her, and she twisted back to look at him. He rubbed her baby stomach gently, just as the baby shifted. Like it was tracking his hand. He smiled dopily at her.

"Morning."

"Morning. How's your chest?"

He pushed his shirt aside, to where the scar looked white, like it had been there for years.

"The werewolf genes kicked in. Like nothing happened."

She relaxed, sinking into the sofa cushions. She hadn't realised she was holding her tension in her muscles until she did so. Junior seemed to notice, and smiled adorably.

"You were worried about me!"

"Well, of course. An antichrist tried to eat your heart out."

"Like werewolf karma," Junior grinned. "Luckily, I had a half-angel watching over me."

"Smooth," Garth acknowledged as he walked into the room. "Junior, you don't have to keep it up, not when she fell asleep with you last night. Take it slow, though. Don't want Dean killing you when the romance just starts."

"Dad, Mama talked to you about this. Remember?" Junior sounded embarrassed, his cheeks flushing slightly. Garth ignored his son's discomfort.

"Bess isn't here. Faith, if you wanna see Junior's naked baby pictures, I got a tonne."

Faith made herself sit, up, Junior helping her as she did, and she waddled into the kitchen, where Dean and Gabriel were drinking coffee and poring over a map, discussing their route. She helped herself to some orange juice and sat with them, looking at the path they were plotting. Dean looked at her as she slipped into her seat.

"Everything okay?" he checked.

"Yeah. Garth's teasing Junior, I thought I'd give them some room. Are we nearly there?"

"Yes. Thank goodness. The way your baby's been growing, we're running out of time. Is Junior going to be able to go?"

She nodded, and gulped down her juice.

* * *

They started walking again, Dean and Garth leading once again, And Faith in between Junior and Gabriel like before. Their progress was slower, with Faith trying to accomodate her growing stomach and Junior struggling to keep the pace. Even though he insisted he had recovered, it made Faith suspicious. She stepped closer to him, and he gently took her hand.

"Are you okay?" She asked quietly, hoping that all the adults they were travelling with weren't listening in. He squeezed her fingers gently.

"I'm fine. How're you doing?"

She looked at their fingers for a moment, and then back at his wolfish face.

"I'm good," She assured him. He stepped closer to her.

"Sorry about my dad, earlier. Mama usually stops him from being completely embarrassing. First time I had a friend over, he told them about the time I wore my Spiderman outfit for six months solid."

She grinned at him.

"I think I actually remember that."

"Yeah? I remember trying to get you to play catch with me, and you turned my softball into flower petals."

Faith wrinkled her nose.

"Why would I do that?"

"I threw it at you. Think you got scared."

"Well, if you did it now, I'd probably send it right back at you."

"I'd like to think my flirting had improved since I was three," he teased, and then turned serious. "Faith, I know this is complicated for you. I know you're not over your last boyfriend, and you think I'm ugly, and you probably think I'm going to end up just like my Dad. And your Dad is probably going to skin me alive for even going there, but, well … if you wanted me back, that would be awesome. But I know last night wasn't … I know we're not going out."

She blushed, and ducked her head.

"I don't think you're ugly, Junior."

He let go of her hand, and placed his arms around her instead. She hugged him back quickly, before carrying on walking, before their fathers or Gabriel could freak out, but carried on talking, so Junior knew it was okay.

"So, is your real name Junior, or are you Garth the second?" She wanted to know. Junior chuckled.

"Neither."

"Huh?"

"Dad is Garth Fitzgerald the fourth. I'm the fifth. But I prefer Junior."

"Faith isn't my birth name either." She confessed.

"I know. I've known Dean and Sam on and off my whole life, it was only when Dean called Dad and said you were home that he called you Faith."

They fell into silence for a while, their fathers alternating a quick glance behind to check on them both, Gabriel dropping behind to give them a little more space. Eventually, Junior chuckled.

"You want to know something I noticed last night?"

She shot him a small look, unsure if she wanted to answer.

"Your eyes don't match."

"I know," she sighed.

"You know what they say about people with mismatched eyes, right?"

"That I'm a freak?"

"What? No. They say if your eyes don't match, it's because you can see Heaven and Earth at the same time. Well, they said that about dogs, but I don't see the difference."

"Because I'm a bitch?"

He gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"Because I'm part wolf. But it's interesting, right? When you're nephilim. Which one sees Heaven?"

She didn't answer. Her blue eye came from her angelic parent, but that didn't mean it would be that one, even if she did believe the nonsense he was saying.

"Well, anyway, I like it. Looking at your eyes, seeing something different in each one. I don't have to pick between the sky and the land, it's all there in your eyes."

She felt her entire body burning, keeping stride with Junior, following their parents to their destination. She couldn't remember anyone ever saying something like that to her. She was used to exasperation, or caution, but never compliments. Especially ones she could tell had been mulled over for a while. Eventually she spoke again.

"You're right. That's a big improvement on a softball to my face."

* * *

They set up camp once again, in the clearing of a wood. Dean, Garth and Gabriel making the protective sigils as Junior constructed a fire. All four of them insisted that Faith rest, since she was so pregnant, and she sat watching Junior's progress with the fire while they all worked around her. Dean was the first to finish, and sat beside her on her sleeping bag.

"How're you holding up, Princess?"

"I'm doing okay," she murmured. "Bored."

"Mm-hmm. You're getting on better with Junior."

She blushed.

"It's okay, kid. I mean, I hate that I just got you back and you're already moving on, but Junior's a good kid. Sometimes I wonder if he's really Garth's."

"Heard that," Garth called from the other side of the clearing.

"Said it to your face before!" Dean called back. He lowered his voice again. "Seriously, Princess. Between Junior and Dax, if you have to be with a guy? I'd pick Junior."

She said nothing, but stretched her legs out in front of her body, and looked at her toes. There was that feeling again, that the entire universe was nudging her towards the werewolf she had been travelling with, and she felt powerless to resist it.

"Let's just focus on me having this baby in one piece," she muttered.

"Okay. Thought of a name yet?" Dean pulled his cell phone out of his pocket as he asked. Faith shrugged again. The way the universe was going, she might well be carrying Garth Fitzgerald the sixth. Although he definitely wasn't Junior's. Dean didn't push her for an answer, but read his phone and smiled. "Hey, Princess. Want a surprise?"

"Sure," she nodded. "What?"

"Faith?" Someone spoke behind them. She turned, and saw, stepping into the clearing, the tall frame of her uncle, followed by her mother. She looked at Castiel for a moment before scrabbling up, using Dean's shoulder to help her stand, and then she was throwing herself into his arms.

"Mom, you're here!"

Castiel held her tightly, as Dean and Sam attached themselves to their embrace.

"We have one antichrist left, and after you came close to finding her, this is the best place for us to be." Castiel promised. "We're not leaving again."

Faith peered up as Dean kissed Castiel gently, over and over again. Their unconventional little family, fully reunited again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now I'm all caught up to where I got to. Guess I'm going to have to get writing, huh?


	34. Chapter 34

The fire burned low, and most of the group had settled down to sleep for the night. Garth and Junior were side-by-side, as were Faith and Sam. Gabriel was watching the fire, listening for any sounds nearby, as Dean and Castiel walked away from the clearing, into the thicket of trees. When they were just out of sight, they began kissing again, Castiel pushing Dean against the rough trunk of the nearest tree. They spent a few happy minutes reuniting in this way, without the prying eyes of their friends and daughter, before Castiel snuggled close, tucking his head underneath Dean’s chin.

“Are you okay, Cas?” Dean murmured.

“Yes. I’ve just missed you very much. And Faith, of course.”

“We missed you too. You really sticking with the group now?”

“Yes. There’s no more leaving you - either of you - now. I promise.”

Dean let out a breath he’d been holding, and pulled Castiel into a tighter hug.

“I still don’t understand why it had to be you, getting rid of these antichrist girls. Why it’s your punishment.”

“God - Chuck - he makes his choices for his reasons.”

“So you don’t know?”

Castiel seemed to waver for a moment.

“No, I know,” he sighed. “But I know you’re going to get upset and I don’t want to upset you any more, Dean. I want our family safe and happy, just like you do.”

“Why’s he punishing you, Cas? Because of me? Because I made you turn your back on your brothers and sisters? Because I encouraged you to have free will?”

“No.”

“Cas?” Dean loosened his hold on his angel, trying to look at him, make some eye contact, find the truth out that way. But Castiel clung on to him, as though he knew that once this conversation was done, they were over. Dean couldn’t imagine what Castiel could possibly say to make him leave now.

“Because of Faith.” Castiel muttered. Dean frowned at the trees opposite them.

“She was an accident.”

Castiel sighed heavily, and walked further away from their camp. Dean followed, wondering what exactly Castiel was going to reveal. Was Castiel being punished for keeping their daughter from him for a decade? They stopped after a few minutes walking, and Castiel sat on a fallen tree. Dean perched beside him, waiting.

“I should have told you a long time ago,” Castiel sighed, and bowed his head, looking at his hands. “But I didn’t think we were strong enough to survive it. You’re going to be angry. Angrier than He was.”

He shot a glance at Dean, sighed, and returned his attention to his hands.

“What I told you about Cassandra was the truth. She was running from an abusive boyfriend, intent on killing her. She was one of my vessels, one I didn’t use as Jimmy and I had an agreement. But … I was already in love with you, Dean. So badly in love with you, and you never seemed to realise. She needed help, and I saw an opportunity. For you to see me in a different light, for you to maybe feel something back. She knew exactly what I was intending, she agreed.”

Dean was silent, trying to process what Castiel was saying. He had a nagging feeling in his gut as Castiel spoke.

“That week, using her vessel, it was magical, Dean. Feeling like you were lusting after me as well, it was something I wanted to hold onto forever. But I had promised her a week, and Jimmy wouldn’t have lasted any longer without me. So I made sure you and I … Cassandra knew. She had been desperate for a child, didn’t think she could have one. Even though she knew Faith would be yours and mine, she still wanted to be involved. The only person who didn’t know I was trying to get pregnant by you in her vessel was you.”

The silence that fell between them at that moment was so loud, it felt like it was going to burst Dean’s ear drums. He thought of how that week had changed his life, how he had begun to fall for Castiel - Castiel, not the vessel he was using - he thought of the shock of discovering that he was going to be a father. Castiel’s surprise, the way he babbled on … the way he just accepted that he would be a mother, no questions asked … how long it had taken for Dean to adjust to the idea of a little kid depending on him. But then, the day that Faith was born, the way she seemed so intelligent at only a couple of hours old, and so delicate, and a big part of him already.

“Cassandra said Faith had been making all those decisions about her parentage. And you … you …”

“Were acting. I had been visiting her, trying to get a plausible story together with her. I’m sorry, Dean.”

“We used a condom.”

“I broke it.”

“Why?” Dean’s voice was strained as he tried to comprehend what Castiel was telling him. “Not- why didn’t you talk to me about this? About becoming parents? Why leave me in the dark?”

“Would you have loved me, Dean? Would you have insisted on getting rid of Faith in a fit of anger?”

“So you went behind my back?”

“I didn’t say it was smart, Dean. I was desperate.”

Dean fell quiet again, unsure how he even felt at this revelation. He had wrestled with his feelings for so long, for Castiel, for fatherhood, and then losing them both for so long, and now this? But getting angry at Castiel, yelling at him, causing an argument when they were finally back together … it all seemed so petty. And it would upset Faith, when she was finally happy despite being pregnant herself.

“Why is God punishing you?” Dean asked eventually, his voice cracking with strain.

“Because as desperate as I was for you to love me, to have that connection last, I still shouldn’t have persued having her. I committed a crime, Dean. This is a retribution that I can live with.”

“And Faith has to be pregnant to undo your mistakes too?”

“I don’t know.”

They sat in silence for a while longer, and Dean tried to muddle through some of his thoughts. He was the one to break it, again.

“It took me a long time to get used to us, Cas. But if I didn’t want you, we wouldn’t have gone anywhere. You knew I needed to the space to adapt. We didn’t need to have Faith to prove how we felt about each other. But,” he saw, in his periphery vision, Castiel’s head snap up. “But she’s my little girl, my princess. I wouldn’t be without her.”

Dean waited for a couple of moments.

“And I wouldn’t be without you, either, Cas.”

Castiel didn’t relax on the log beside him.

“But you’re still angry.”

“You’ve kept this from me for eighteen years. You’ve lied to me, and to her. You manipulated the crap out of me, Cas. Yes, I’m angry.” Dean shook his head, and his shoulders slumped. “But I’m done. I’m done watching our family fracture, over and over. I’m done with aching for you, or for her, or the both of you. I’m done with missing out. It’s not okay that you lied, Cas, that you forced this to happen. But I’m not going to punish you, I’m not going to make our daughter suffer any more than she already is.”

He stood up, and dusted his hands on his jeans.

“I’m going to grab some sleep. Are you coming back to watch over her?”

Castiel nodded, and they walked back to the campsite together.


	35. Chapter 35

Junior woke up slowly, listening to the sounds of the others moving around the camp fire. He blinked his eyes open, and saw his father cooking over the fire with Sam, talking in low voices. Across the camp, Faith sat upon her sleeping bag, curled into Castiel, who was playing with her hair gently. Her wings were nowhere to be seen, and she was gazing into the fire, clearly deep in thought. Junior smiled to himself, watching her as she stayed in her own world, enjoying being reunited with her mother.

She didn’t know how beautiful she was, how tiny and delicate she seemed, how much her angelic powers seemed to radiate out of her. Yes, she seemed tough and unafraid, but Junior had been wondering for a long while how much of a front that was. He was even more convinced now that her attitude towards him had changed, and in the last few days, she had seemed even prettier, and sweeter, and more patient. Much more like the tiny toddler that Junior remembered meeting back when he was an excitable three-year-old.

He wished, as he had since his father had told him about this adventure and he insisted on coming, that it was so much easier to just be with her. The pregnancy didn’t bother him, or her status as a half-angel, half-human creature. Even those moments she had looked at him in disgust or anger hadn’t stopped him from wanting her, it just made it harder to believe it was possible.

And then she had kissed him, and made everything more complicated. Because Junior didn’t know if she was still with that other guy, the one she had talked about with Gabriel and Dean when she thought Junior couldn’t hear. He didn’t know if she would want him when she had a new-born to contend with, although he was happy to help. More than happy.

His father stooped down into his line of vision, smiling in that dopey way that Junior associated with total trust.

“Breakfast’s up.”

Junior nodded, and scratched over the beanie on his head, climbing out of his sleeping back and rolling it up before sitting next to his dad, watching Faith across the flames. She looked up at him, and smiled shyly, before turning to Sam and passing him a mug. He pulled her into a hug, and she laughed, and they made a small joke about hamsters as Garth leaned in to Junior.

“She’s not going anywhere,” he breathed.

“Dad, don’t.” He looked down at his plate, and poked a fork into the hash that was there.

“You can’t take your eyes off her.”

“Weren’t you like it with Mama?”

Garth laughed, and nudged Junior’s shoulder.

“We’ll give you some space when we start walking again,” Garth promised. Junior nodded, and made himself eat. His attention never wandered far from the girl a few metres away as she interacted with her family.

As soon as everything had been eaten, and Junior was given the task of washing up, the rest of their group set about packing up, and Faith approached, watching his scrub the pans in a nearby stream.

“Do you need any help?” She asked. Junior didn’t know if it was the angel genes, or the way that he was feeling, but her voice always sounded melodic, like she was singing every word.

“No, I’m good.” Junior promised. “But thanks. You need to rest.”

“I’m not incapable of helping,” she started to argue.

“I know. You could kick my ass in a heartbeat. But what kind of guy would I be if I made you do the dishes?”

She nudged him with her elbow, and leaned closer, resting her head on his shoulder. He tried not to jostle her, or over-react, or turn around and kiss her like he wanted to do.

“Are we nearly there now?” He asked instead.

“I think so. I hope so. I hate being pregnant. I miss flying.”

“I forgot you could do that. Maybe when you’ve had this kid, you could take me flying? We’d get your dad to look after the baby.”

She stopped leaning against him, and sighed.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen once I’ve had this baby, Junior.”

“I know.”

“I’d be the worst girlfriend ever,” she warned.

“I could handle it.”

He looked down at her, and she looked back steadily, and he was once again breathless over her mismatched eyes. He honestly would do anything for her, if he wasn’t so sure she would kick his ass when he tried.

“My Dad would judge the crap out of you.”

“You _are_ his princess.”

“You’re crazy.”

“But you’re thinking about it.” Junior sounded a lot more confident than he felt. Gabriel called to them, asking them to hurry up, and Faith turned straight away, breaking their eye contact. Junior tried not to feel upset, he knew that the entire point of this trek across the States was Faith’s baby, and the tasks that God himself had given them. It wasn’t meant to be a dating opportunity. But then, he hadn’t expected to see her, a strange mix of both her fathers that somehow worked and made her beautiful, and the way she had looked in him, deep inside him like she could see anything. He also hadn’t expected her to grab a gun and point it at his face, her reflexes even faster than the alpha of their pack. He hadn’t expected, in those first few moments, to fall so hard. He knew his father had realised, that Dean and Sam had worked it out, Gabriel made it obvious that he knew as well, but Faith? Faith only seemed to be waking up to the idea now. Junior just had to be patient.

 

*

 

“You lied to me,” Faith told Gabriel as they set off from the camp site. Her father and uncle were ahead of them, leading the way, and Castiel was by her side, Junior and Garth walking behind and talking between themselves as well. Gabriel smirked back at her.

“About what, in particular?”

“When you told me about having this baby, you were talking about Dax. You said he was going to be my Joseph.”

“Oops,” Gabriel didn’t sound repentant at all. “He was always going to bail.”

“Gabriel!”

“Oh, come _on_ Faith! Kid hated that you found Dean and Cas again. Hated me too. And Krissy, and hunting, and everything else.”

“Then why did he stick around?”

“Because he thought what we did. That you were one of the antichrist kids. That he could use you. And then he thought that he could use your nephilim powers, and now he’s run off to Stevie for the exact same reason.”

Faith looked angrily at Castiel, who was watching Dean walk ahead of them.

“Mom, did you think this was going to happen?”

Castiel turned his head slowly, his gaze never leaving Dean’s back.

“Sorry?”

“Dax, Mom.”

“Oh. You miss him?”

Faith looked at her father, and back to her mother.

“Are you fighting?” She wanted to know.

“No,” Castiel sounded confused, but didn’t expand any further. She gave up talking to him, and turned back to her uncle.

“So you knew he was going to leave?”

“I knew he wasn’t nowhere near good enough for you. If I didn’t think you could handle yourself, I would have dealt with him years ago.”

Faith was fuming, walking with her arms folded tight across her chest. Gabriel nudged her.

“What do you care, anyway? You’ve moved on.”

She fought the urge to turn and look at Junior, and stuck her chin out instead.

“I suppose Junior’s not good enough for me either, is he?”

Gabriel laughed, and Castiel stirred beside them.

“You notice that Junior hasn’t complained once? He’s come on this trip, he’s taken his watch, he’s helped with chores and coped with your moods and he’s still happy to be here. He didn’t even complain about the attack. Kinda wondering if you’re good enough for him.”

Castiel turned, and looked at Junior, before entering the conversation.

“Faith, you’re in a relationship with the werewolf?”

Gabriel’s smirk grew, and Faith turned to her mother slowly. Castiel was looking at her steadily, finally a part of this conversation.

“Would it be okay if I was?” She checked.

“Does he make you happy?”

She smiled at her mother. He always made it sound so simple, so easy to navigate.

“I think so. Yeah. I definitely feel things that I never did with Dax.”

Castiel nodded slowly, and glanced towards Dean again.

“You should always go to the person who makes you happiest, Faith.”

She stepped closer to him.

“What’s going on with you and Dad?”

“I’m not sure.” Castiel sighed. “I gave him some bad news last night, but he’s not taking it the way I thought he would.”

Faith looked at Dean, and eavesdropped shamelessly on his thoughts. He seemed to be singing a song in his head, one Faith didn’t know too well. It was surprisingly sweet and unbeat, not the kind of music she expected at all. She gave Castiel a perplexed look, and he sighed.

“He’s been playing it all morning. He does it when he doesn’t want me in his head.”

“What was the bad news?” Faith wanted to know. Castiel shook his head.

“You have enough stress to cope with. We’ll be fine. It’s just been difficult, being separated for so long.”

Faith reached over and squeezed his arm, and he folded her hand into the crook of his elbow, walking together like an old fashioned couple. They fell silent, listening to Sam catch Dean up on what had happened with the antichrist girls, and Gabriel caught up with him to tell him about their trip, the demons they had fought and Junior’s attack. Faith put Castiel’s arm across her shoulder, and stepped closer to him.

“It’ll all be okay, Faith. I promise you.”

“I know.”

She couldn’t resist turning to look at Junior, who smiled warmly at her, and she felt herself grinning back. Maybe her mother was right. Junior would make her very happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel at this point, I should mention that I have a set idea of how this story is going to end. I don't want to give anything away, but I have to tag in warning. So there's going to be an MCD tag on here, but it's not what you think. That's not my style.


	36. Chapter 36

They stopped at an abandoned cabin, not far from their destination. Everyone was exhausted, and cranky, their feet were sore and all anyone wanted to do was eat and sleep. The only problem was, there was only one double bed in the cabin. Gabriel disappeared to get some food, and everyone tried to debate who would sleep in the bed, and who would sleep on the floor.

“Faith gets the bed,” Junior said immediately. “She’s pregnant.”

“You’re still recovering, you should get it,” Faith argued back.

“We could share?” Junior tried to compromise. Dean cleared his throat loudly, which was all he needed to do in order to make his feelings about that clear. “Well, it’s not like I would get her pregnant.”

Faith gave him the same filthy look that Dean did.

“What about Faith and Dean?” Sam tried reasonably. “I can make do, Cas and Gabe won’t be sleeping. If Garth and Junior are okay with it, that would work?”

“No one wants to share a bed with their old man,” Garth sniggered, as Faith turned to her father.

“You used to sleep in my bed as a kid,” he shrugged. She smiled faintly.

“Okay.”

Once the bed issue was sorted, Garth, Sam and Dean started plotting out the last legs of their trek, and Castiel kept watch out of the front door. Junior and Faith sat side-by-side on the sofa, where Junior held her hand gently. She looked at their hands, her small, slightly tanned hand nestled in his bigger, hairy one. But it felt right, somehow. Two half-breed kids, raised by hunters, they were meant to fall for each other. She looked up into his wolfish face, and felt her heart thumping wildly. But rather than ruin the moment, or say something that one of their parents would definitely overhear, she merely nuzzled into his shoulder. He relaxed into the back of the sofa, and she went with him, laying against his sturdy frame, feeling him toy with her hair as they watched their families sit around the dining table, maps sprawled between them, muttering low to each other. Junior chuckled faintly in her ear.

“You must be tired,” he muttered. She nodded, closing her eyes and breathing in his smell. Which yes, had a hint of dog, but was pleasant and earthy at the same time.

“How are you?” She whispered. “After Stevie’s attack?”

“I’m good. Very good.” She felt him press his lips against her temple, as Dean called across the room.

“Don’t get too comfortable over there.”

“But Junior’s all squishy!” Faith called back, not opening her eyes. She missed Dean’s pained look, and the warning glance he sent at Junior, before turning back to their planning. Junior wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her temple again.

“So, does this mean you’re my girl?” He kept his voice low, but Castiel turned to look at them appraisingly anyway. Faith sighed, and finally opened her eyes.

“Don’t ruin this with talking.” She looked up at him, still oblivious to her mother.

“Are you going to shut me up?” Junior grinned down at her. She moved, reaching up for him as Gabriel burst through the front door.

“Food’s up!” He passed burger joint bags around, and Faith left Junior alone to grab a handful of fries, barely stopping to chew as she devoured them. Dean made his way in between them to eat his burger, and Faith had to shuffle along the seat in order to avoid the baby being squashed. She sent an apologetic look to Junior, who waved his hand back at her as though he were dismissing her silent concerns, and they both turned back to their own greasy, salt-laden meals.

 

*

 

That night, Faith had climbed into the bed, and waited for her father to come in, her thoughts tumbling between Junior and Dax. Truthfully, she hadn’t made her mind up about what to do. She wanted Junior, she knew that much, but Dax had been a big part of her life. And maybe, when she was pregnant at seventeen and under a chastity vow with God in order to have a shot of getting into Heaven when she finally died, she really shouldn’t be thinking about boyfriends.

Dean walked into the room, and sat at the edge of the bed, pulling his boots off. Faith looked away out of respect as he shuffled out of his jeans, and then he slipped under the covers as well.

“Are you okay?” He asked her. She turned her head on the pillow, and saw him leaning on his side, looking at her with a concern that seemed ancient.

“Yeah.”

“You’re not mad that I cock-blocked Junior, are you?” Dean looked apprehensive.

“No. Although, I was only going to kiss him.”

“Is that all,” Dean muttered under his breath.

“ _Daddy_ ,” Faith warned him. “I’m seventeen.”

“Yeah, and I’ve missed out on doing this for nearly fifteen years. I have a lot of surly Dad crap to catch up on.”

She shook her head, smiling fondly at him. If you had asked Faith, growing up, what her father would be like, she would never have come close to describing Dean. He turned off the light and she shuffled across the mattress towards him, and snuggled in close. He laughed, and placed a tentative hand on her bulging stomach.

“How are you coping with the baby?”

“Okay, I guess.”

“Have they talked to you any more?”

“A few times.” She started tracing a finger along the freckles that dotted his shoulder, though they were faint against his slightly wrinkled skin. He made an amused noise, and curled an arm around her, still rubbing her stomach, which began to jump at his touch as the baby woke up.

“Did you pick a name yet?”

“No. I don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl,” she pointed out. “How did you and Mom pick my name?”

Dean paused for a few moments, and cleared his throat.

“Castiel chose it. He must have spent hours preparing a speech, nearly caught me out completely. He was talking about ancient names and new variations and the importance of meaning and he liked the flow of Siobhan. I kind of agreed for a quiet life, so long as you got my mom’s name too.”

“So how do I pick?” Faith complained. “It’s not even my baby. It’s God’s.”

“What about Jesus?” Dean snorted with laughter. “Or, if not, a unisex name. Like Sam.”

He nodded to the door, where his brother was somewhere on the other side. Faith sighed.

“That’s not helpful, Daddy. If this baby is an angel, maybe it should be a name like theirs.”

“Maybe. We could ask Cas? He might know how all that works.”

Faith nodded, and stopped tracing her finger across his shoulder. She knew it was potentially risky to ask her father, but it was going to eat at her if she didn’t. She was still trying to work out exactly how her parents relationship even worked.

“Daddy? Are you mad at Mom?”

“It’s complicated, Faith,” his tone was gentle, yet firm. Faith understood it to mean _I love you, but I won’t answer._ But that didn’t mean she was going to accept it.

“I’m a nephilim, having an angel baby despite still carrying my V card, my Mom is a guy and my Dad is a Hunter. My ex-boyfriend was a Man of Letters who invented some potion that guaranteed the next best thing to immortal life and the guy I like is a werewolf. I spent most of my life relying on the state and my Mom is currently hunting an old friend who, it turns out, is an antichrist. Do you really think I can’t deal with complicated? My whole life has been complicated. You try being eight years old and not cheating on tests by reading your teacher’s mind.”

She looked at her father with the steeliest gaze she could muster, and he glared right back.

“It’s personal.”

“You’re my _Dad_.”

He looked away, focusing on the ceiling.

“Faith, do you ever consider that maybe, there are some things you just shouldn’t hear? Things you can’t come back from? If someone isn’t sharing something with you, maybe they’re doing it for your own good. Which is in my job description as your father.”

She almost went too far. She almost mentioned the day the angels came for her, that he could talk of her own good, and protecting her all he wanted, but that was the day he didn’t. But she held back, and he seemed to sense that she was, even without extra powers of his own.

“Cas and me are going to be fine, okay? We’ve survived this long.”

“That’s not reassuring,” Faith said in a small voice. Dean snorted derisively.

“Relationships aren’t meant to be reassuring. They’re meant to be complicated, and messy. You’re meant to get annoyed, and yell, and fight, and misunderstand. The point isn’t the argument, it’s about how you deal with it.”

Dean’s voice had dropped, and Faith glanced at him curiously. She remembered, back in the bunker, Castiel trying to explain how her father worked, that he held back and didn’t express his emotions easily, that Faith was the exception to the rule. And this was the first time she really felt it. The lowered voice told her that it was only for her ears, that he was saying this to her because he was her father, and no one else would ever see this side of him. Not even her mother.

“Oh.”

Dean nodded.

“Like this, Faith. Like, you’re my world, and I don’t like you asking this stuff, but I know you need it. Doesn’t mean I don’t love you, and you don’t love me.”

“So you still love Mom?” Faith persisted. He smiled wrily.

“Don’t go advertising it or anything.”

“There’s nothing wrong with people knowing you love him.” Faith whispered. Something like irritation, or guilt, flickered across Dean’s face.

“Don’t push it, Faith. You see what you see because you’re our daughter. Other people wouldn’t feel the same.”

There was a tension between them that Faith didn’t like.

“But they all know. Garth, and Uncle Sam, and Gabe. They know. So what are you running from?”

Dean rolled away, breaking their contact. Faith could feel the anger simmering.

“Is this all a distraction from whatever’s going on with you, Dax, and Junior?” Dean asked before she could snap.

“No.” She sounded sullen. “This is about me trying to understand the parents I’ve been missing for years. Mom would do anything for you, you know that?”

Dean made a scathing noise.

“Go to sleep, Faith.”

She folded her arms across her stomach, and lay there, loathing him. And loathing herself for how much she still cared about his opinion. The door creaked open in their silence, and someone shuffled in the room quietly.

“Dean?”

Faith closed her eyes as her mother tiptoed across the floor.

“I’m awake,” he grunted. There was movement, the bedsprings creaking as the mattress shifted, the covers tugging as Castiel got into the bed. “How’s everything out there?”

“Gabriel’s keeping watch. Sam insisted Junior take the sofa, he and Garth are both on the floor. There doesn’t seem to be any sign of danger.”

“Good.”

“Yes. We still have to work out how to get to Stevie. She must be dealt with before Faith goes in to labour, that could be any day now.”

“I know. But you said you weren’t leaving.”

There was a pause, and Faith almost opened her eyes again.

“You confuse me frequently, Dean, but not as much as right now.”

“Leave it.”

“I’m sorry. For everything.”

Dean didn’t respond.

“But you don’t want me to go?”

“What kind of question is that?”

“Dean-”

“I said I was done with it, Cas. And trying to figure it out, how I’m supposed to feel about it … it’s too much. Besides, Faith is awake still.”

She thought she had fooled them both. They were talking more freely than she had heard them in a while. She could practically feel Castiel probing at her conscience.

“She’s worrying about us still?”

“Hiding from whatever’s going on with Junior.”

He was baiting her, she knew it. And she could feel it working.

“Dean, stop. Don’t take it out on her. You’re mad at me.”

Faith wasn’t expecting her mother to stand up for her like that, not against him. She opened her eyes, and caught Castiel’s empathetic expression in the gloom surrounding them.

“Go to sleep, Faith,” he said kindly. “We’re not going anywhere.”

She nodded, and rolled over, getting comfortable for some sleep. But she couldn’t shut out the sound of her parents talking, breathing the words to each other in the dark.

“You really think it’s to do with Junior?”

“Do you not see it? When they look at each other?”

“But they’re not together.”

“I don’t blame her. Not after the way Dax was, not after landing herself with this kid, not with that stupid promise to abstain for the rest of her life.”

“That promise is going to save her, Dean.”

“Still, how do you think it must feel? To want to be with him and know that she can’t, not properly?”

“I know how it feels.” Castiel sounded sad. Faith realised he was talking about Dean.

“That’s not an excuse.”

“I never said it was. That’s how I felt before Cassandra.”

“Stop bringing it up.”

“Stop avoiding it.”

“What do you want me to say, Cas? If I say you shouldn’t have done it, am I saying I didn’t want her? If I say that having her in our lives means everything to me, does that mean what you did was okay? It wasn’t okay. And it’s not okay that you sat on this for eighteen years.”

“It never felt right to tell you.”

“So you were going to go on letting me think we had her by accident? Would you’ve bothered to tell me if God wasn’t punishing you? If I had done that to you, Cas, or to her-”

“I was _desperate_ , Dean! I thought we only had the week. I couldn’t tell if you wanted me or Cassandra-”

“So you ask me.”

“You never talk!” Castiel raised his voice, and Faith felt like crying. They were talking about her, she could tell that much. Her, and their relationship. She had thought they were good together. She aspired to having something like their connection, to having someone look at her with that level of devotion, but it sounded like … like her Mom had manipulated her Dad.

“You know how I feel, Cas. You’ve always known. Just admit you were being selfish.”

“Love makes us do stupid things, Dean.”

“You. Were. Wrong.”

“I’ve apologised already. I know I shouldn’t have done it. But I do not regret it. You won’t make me say that.”

“But you want me to say it?”

“Of course not. I’ve seen the way you relate to her. I learned how to be a parent from you. It’s you that she turned to when we found her again. I know you love her. But you’re not reacting the way I was expecting. The way I know you to react.”

“I told you, I was done with missing you both. You’re family, as much as Sam is. And you always knew that.”

“So what do we do now?”

“We focus on finding Stevie, and getting rid of her. We focus on helping our daughter.”

“I meant about us.”

Dean was quiet for a few moments, and Faith wondered if he had fallen asleep. Or maybe she was hoping, because his answer could undo her entire world. 

“Asking about us is kind of like asking if I’m mad about you making sure you got pregnant, isn’t it? And my answer’s the same.”

“ _Dean_ -”

“I’m angry, Cas. But I’m not stupid. And I am done with missing you.”

There were a few smacking sounds, and Faith realised that they were kissing. Maybe her father had been right, earlier that night. Relationships were complicated. And she had never wanted to know that her mother had set this whole thing in motion.


	37. Chapter 37

Faith woke up to a quiet cabin. She rolled over in bed, and saw that both her parents had left. She sat up, leaning against the headboard, and considered what she had heard the night before, when her parents thought she was sleeping.

Her father hadn’t been exaggerating about wanting to protect her. Maybe he recognised a part of himself in her, the part that could easily deal with fighting and unnatural forces, that took to special powers with little concern but couldn’t deal with the unpredictability of emotions. It was one thing to laugh about how she could take a knife with her when she went flying to protect herself, and something completely different to tell the seventeen-year-old you’d been missing for most of her life that … she couldn’t even go there. Couldn’t make herself think the worst about her mother.

She felt sick, and pulled the blankets around herself as the door opened, and Junior slipped in, holding a mug. He smiled at her when he saw she was awake, but she felt contaminated. Werewolf he might be, but Junior was innocent, he was loved, he had it easy. And Faith … didn’t. Gabriel was right, she didn’t deserve him.

“I brought you a drink. Herbal tea, I figured it would be good for the baby. Sam wants to get going soon, it’s getting pretty late.” He sat on the mattress, his body turned to her, holding the cup out to her. “Hey, are you okay?”

She took the mug reluctantly, because she knew Junior would sit there and hold it out for her otherwise.

“I’m okay,” she said quietly. He scooted further onto the bed, appraising her with an expression that hurt her chest to see. She wished he would stop trying to show that he cared about her. She didn’t deserve it.

“No one’s judging you for sharing a bed with your parents. I used to get in with mine until I was ten. I was a dorky kid.”

He smiled, his wolfish features softened by his good heart, and Faith looked down at the tea, smelling the hint of mint that rose in the vapours as the tea slowly cooled.

“What are your parents like?” She blew across the tea, hoping she just sounded conversational. If Junior was confused, or upset that she was changing the subject, he didn’t show it. He merely leaned closer on the bed, watching her concentrate on her tea.

“Well, you’ve met my Dad. He’s great with the kids in the pack - they all love Mr Fizzles - but he’s a good guy all round. I know I can tell him anything, you know? And my Mama is amazing. I’m a total Mama’s boy. She used to read to me all the time, and knit me sweaters. She taught me all about our pack, and the promise we made.” He lifted the silver bullet off his chest slightly. “Why, did something happen last night?”

She looked up at him, into his earnest hazel eyes, and felt unable to hold back. Not about her parents, and how confusing they were, but everything else.

“I don’t get why you want me. Why you’re stupid enough to do that, when you know I’m pregnant, and hung up on my ex-boyfriend. When I’m a bitch, and my healing abilities suck and I’m holding everyone back by waddling and we could be miles further on by now and you wouldn’t even have gotten hurt if I wasn’t around. And even if it made sense to like me, it would be pointless anyway, because I promised to never sleep with anyone ever and it would be stupid to go out with a girl who you can’t really be with.”

She took a breath to continue, but Junior moved the mug from her hand, and scooted closer.

“This isn’t the Faith I know. Since when are you this insecure?” He cupped her face gently, tilting her chin up, and stroking a thumb slowly across her soft skin. “I don’t like you because I think I’m going to get laid, Faith. I like you because you have this crazy mix of self-assured Hunter and angelic sweetness. And we wouldn’t even be here if you weren’t around, Faith. Your parents wouldn’t be back together, your uncle wouldn’t have his freedom, and my life would be a lot emptier. I just want to help, to take care of you. That’s all.”

She felt a tear roll down her cheek, in spite of herself. Junior thumbed it away before she could reach for it.

“I was a mistake.” She mumbled. Junior shrugged.

“Some of the best people are.”

“For my Dad. Mom didn’t tell him … I don’t know how it worked. Mom made it happen.”

“Well, okay, that kind of sucks. But when they knew you were coming, did either of them try to get rid of you? Or did they decide to keep you, and love you, and protect you? Because that’s the thing that matters.”

“I really don’t deserve you,” she sniffed. Junior grinned at her.

“If it makes you feel any better, I got homeschooled until high school, and you were my first kiss. I’m a total dork.”

“Liar.” She smiled despite herself.

“Nope. Well, except the dork thing. I wasn’t interested in the wolf girls, and I didn’t want to risk the life of a human girl. But you’re different. And even if I did wolf out, I think you could handle it. But hey, I made you smile.”

He passed the drink back to her, and she took a sip, starting to feel a little more, well, human.

“Look, you can’t change the past, and what your Mom and Dad were feeling when they were feeling. You just have to trust that they love you, and they’re doing what they can to keep you safe. I can’t know what it was like to grow up without them, but I know them. Whatever they said to you, or whatever you overheard, this is the most important thing for them. Dean was broken without you, and Castiel seemed like he didn’t have a purpose, and you have no idea how big a difference it is from the last time I saw them. Because of you.”

“Why are you saying this to me?” She asked tiredly. He kept stroking her cheek.

“Because it’s true. And because I care.”

Faith nodded slowly, and moved forward clumsily, trying to balance the tea and work around the bump to get closer to Junior. He watched, his hazel eyes wide open, clearly curious about this change of mood, and she pressed closer, kissing him gently on the mouth again. It didn’t last long, neither of them wanting to break what there was between them, but it was enough. As Faith settled back against the headboard, Junior smiled at her shyly.

“Was that you saying yes?” He checked. She nodded.

“I still think you’re crazy, but I guess I like crazy.”

The door creaked open, and Gabriel stuck his head in, raising an eyebrow.

“No,” he called loudly over his shoulder, still looking at them. “No fooling around. Junior isn’t even in the bed. Either he’s got no game or your kids suck at being teenagers.”

“Other teenagers don’t have an archangel checking up on them,” Junior pointed out. Gabriel winked.

“Touché. Come out, we want to talk to you. Both of you. Fully dressed.”

He left the door wide open, and Junior shook his head in amusement, before smiling at Faith.

“I’ll see you out there, okay?”

She nodded, and sipped her tea.

“Thank you for my drink.”

He wrinkled his snout, and left the room, Garth immediately clapping him on the back and including him in a discussion with Dean and Sam. Faith sipped some more tea, before climbing out of the bed, and slipping into the bathroom, changing quickly into a pair of jeans and one of Sam’s old plaid shirts, which he had lent her to cover her bulging stomach. She joined them, sitting on Dean’s lap as they gathered around the small dining table.

“So, we’ve come up with a plan,” Sam spoke hesitantly. Dean’s hold on Faith tightened momentarily. “But I don’t think you’re going to like it.”


	38. Chapter 38

The final leg of their trek was the smallest, but the longest. Junior had fully recovered, but Faith was going slower and slower. Eventually, Sam swooped down and picked her up, carrying her across his arms as they made their way towards the town. She clung to his neck, feeling useless.

“You know,” he told her, jerking his head to get his hair out of the way. “For a pregnant girl, you’re surprisingly light. You’re not using your wings, are you?”

“No, Uncle Sam.”

“Maybe it’s because you’re so little,” he smiled kindly.

“Or because you’re really tall,” she answered back meekly. He laughed, and gave her a squeeze, not breaking his stride at all. “And I’m not that little. Have you seen the bigness of my stomach?”

“You’re handling it really well, you know. When you were a little kid, you seemed to scare easily, you had your toy bear to stand up for you. And when we met a few months ago, you were so pig-headed, so much like Dean, I thought you were going to hurt yourself.”

“And now?” She asked in a small voice.

“And now,” Sam thought about it for a moment. “Now it’s like, you understand the responsibility you have and you’re not shying away from it. Like a Winchester.”

“I am a Winchester,” she reminded him. He nodded, his hair sliding into his face again. She brushed it behind his ears, trying to help.

“You are. And I know that’s half the reason Dean worries so much about you. He thinks we’re cursed, he never wanted to pass that on to his kids.”

She looked at her uncle like she had never seen him before. Although she cared about Sam, they had never really had a lot to do with each other. Sure, when she was tiny he had looked after her occasionally, and indulged her Disney cravings. And when they had met again, he had worked out quickly who she was meant to be, but then she had been so taken with getting to know her parents, dealing with her boyfriend troubles, bearing this mission from God … somehow her uncle had ended up a footnote to her. And she had never wanted that. He caught the expression on her face and misread it.

“I didn’t mean to worry you. The baby isn’t a curse, okay? I meant, you know, being separated, learning to deal with your powers on your own, growing up without us.”

She nodded, and they fell quiet, listening to the rest of the group who were walking ahead of them. All except Junior, who was keeping pace with Sam, walking silently beside them, just letting them have their time together. It was one of Faith’s favourite things about Junior, that he wasn’t pushy to have all her time already. She guessed that he was only with them now in case Sam’s arms got tired, and then he would help her walk instead.

“Uncle Sam?” She asked after a few minutes of silence.

“Yeah kiddo?”

“Didn’t you ever get married? Or fall in love? I mean, whatever’s going on between Mom and Dad, at least they have each other, you know?”

Sam chuckled quietly.

“I’ve been trying to figure your parents out since we met Castiel. Don’t worry if you can’t. They care about each other, they care about me, they care about you, and they’re both emotionally stunted. That’s the best I can give you.”

“I was asking about you.”

Sam nodded, smirking.

“I fell in love once. And she died. And I tried a few relationships after that, but nothing really worked out, none of them were like her. In the end, I just gave up trying. What Dean and I do - did - it was important, you know? What we’re doing now, it’s important.”

“You shouldn’t have given up. You deserve to be happy.”

Sam’s smile became more forced.

“Thanks, Faith, but it’s okay. And after you disappeared, Dean was destroyed. I love my brother more than anything, I had to be there for him, you know? If I could have brought you back, I would have. Maybe then I could have met someone who began to compare to Jess.”

“Her name was Jess?”

“Uh-huh. College girlfriend.”

“You don’t want to talk about it, do you?”

“It was a long time ago. And maybe I’m not the same person I was then. Things change, you know? I don’t think Jess would recognise me now. Maybe it’s better that I remember how she was back then, instead of wishing for what she might be now.” He shifted her in his arms, and she wondered if she was getting too heavy for him. “Same goes for Dean and Cas, Faith. I know you grew up painting a picture of how your parents should be, I know the reality is a lot different. But they are who they are and the best thing you can do is love them for that, whatever they’re like together. They love you, that’s the important thing.”

“Dad didn’t want me,” she whispered. “Not at first. I heard them talking.”

“I don’t think that’s true. He didn’t plan on you, he was shocked when we were told you were coming, but it was never a question about him wanting you. He was scared for you. Neither of us understood how it even happened.”

“Mom planned it.” Her voice had gone even quieter, like she was afraid of getting it out there. Afraid of what her uncle would say. But Sam seemed to take it in stride.

“Yeah? Wouldn’t be the first time Cas has had a well-meaning idea that’s gone awry. At least this time, he got you out of it. And Dean. It’s what he wanted.” He caught the expression on her face at his last comment. “Oh, no, Faith! Dean wouldn’t even think of touching him if the feeling wasn’t mutual. Dean wanted it too, once he got used to the idea. As soon as he heard Cassandra was in danger, he went to get you, and when we thought we lost you, he couldn’t get over it. Not until you came back. And I missed you too. My shirt-stealing, Disney-loving, adorable little pain-in-the-ass niece.”

He grinned at her, and she smiled back shyly.

“Thanks, Uncle Sam.”

“It’s okay.”

“Am I getting heavy?”

“No. Still light as a feather. And we’re nearly there now.”

“What do you think is going to happen? With the baby, and Stevie, and Dax?”

“I don’t know. But what I do know is that everyone in our little group of misfits understands how important this baby is. We’ll all do our best to help you, to protect you both, and to kill Stevie, okay?”

She nodded.

“Does it have a name yet? I know Dean’s been asking.”

Faith shook her head.

“I can’t think of anything.”

_You don’t have to._

She looked down at her stomach. The baby tended to talk when she was resting, which she must have been doing in Sam’s strong arms. He was looking ahead, at where everyone else was walking. He didn’t say anything more, and Faith knew he was giving her time to think. She used it instead to talk to the baby.

_What do you mean? You need a name._

_I have one._

_What is it?_

_The one Father gave to me. You’ll see._

_That’s all I get? My Dad’s going to ask again._

The baby stopped responding, and Faith sighed audibly. Why couldn’t anything just be simple?

 

*

 

They finally arrived at their destination, and Sam got a series of motel rooms sorted. They congregated in Dean, Castiel and Faith’s room, going over their plan and getting ready for the next day when they would hopefully get to Stevie. When Dean and Sam were satisfied that everyone knew what they were meant to be doing, they sent everyone out of the room, leaving Faith alone with her parents.

“Are you okay with this, Faith?” Castiel asked as she climbed into her bed. She nodded silently. “We have to get rid of Stevie, you do understand that, don’t you?”

“I know.” Faith snuggled into her pillow, as Dean sat on the edge of her bed, Castiel hovering nearby.

“What are you worried about?” Her father asked. She avoided his eye contact.

“Giving birth before she’s gone.”

She stared at the covers as they gathered around her body, and missed the look that her parents exchanged.

“Are you sure? Sam said earlier … you heard it last night, didn’t you?” Dean had decided not to lie to her.

“Yeah. But it’s fine.” She rolled over, facing away from them. “Didn’t think Uncle Sam would tell you.”

He placed a tentative hand on her waist, over the blankets.

“Are you angry with us?”

“No.”

“Just nervous about tomorrow?”

She shrugged.

“I guess.”

“It will work, Faith,” Castiel assured her. “You won’t be left exposed.”

“I know. It’s not going to be like the other time. I’m just tired, even after Uncle Sam and Junior carried me.”

She pulled her covers tighter over her shoulders, as Dean and Castiel exchanged another look.

“So you’re not angry about what you heard?” Dean persisted.

“No.”

“Because we wanted you. I mean, I wasn’t expecting to hear I was going to be a father, but the first time I saw you … you were perfect, Faith. I’m not mad at Cas for wanting to have you. Just angry that he lied. Doesn’t stop- I mean- you’re my family. Both of you.”

“Okay.” Faith murmured.

“Can you stop sulking now?” Dean pressed. She didn’t answer, and a few moments later, they heard her heavy breathing. Dean’s shoulders sank.

“She did say she was tired. It must be taking a toll, carrying a baby that’s growing faster than a human fetus.” Castiel spoke quietly, cautious of disturbing their sleeping daughter.

“At least it’s almost over.”

“I just hope we can get to Stevie in time.”

“The plan should work,” Dean insisted. He finally turned to look at Castiel, standing up from Faith’s bed and approaching the angel slowly. “There’s seven of us, and two of them.”

Castiel nodded, watching Dean’s approach with silent apprehension. Dean stopped inches away from him, and they looked at each other with an understanding that had been there for years. Dean slowly leaned closer, and brushed his mouth slowly against Castiel’s lips.

“Do you forgive me, Dean?” He murmured. Dean smiled against his mouth.

“So long as you don’t screw up like that again.”

“I’ll run everything by you.”

They kissed for a few happy minutes, before Dean pulled Castiel over to the other bed, shucking off their clothes before sliding under the covers, both of them just in their boxers. They continued their kissing, resisting the urge to take it further when their daughter was in the bed next to theirs, and eventually Dean drifted off to sleep himself. Castiel gave him one last soft kiss to the temple, and turned his head to watch Faith as she slept, one arm curled around Dean, and he watched over them both through the night.


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the second-to-last chapter. I feel I could have done this better. But I guess this is what happens when you write a chapter while waiting for registration to start for the convention you're attending. I wrote this a few days ago. And in the meantime, I saw Garth (and Mr Fizzles! We may have recreated the scene with the little girl in my photo lol, he got excited by the idea) as well as the Ghostfacers, the Campbells, Samandriel ...

Faith sat at a picnic table, two carry out coffee cups in front of her, the steam curling out of the small vents in the lids. She had been there for a few minutes, arriving early to make sure everyone else could hide. They were all out of sight, and Faith had to hope that they would be well hidden from Stevie. Gabriel was using his powers to try to mask them all, but if Stevie became aware of them too early, then the plan was going to fail.

Eventually, she saw who she had been waiting for, who she had bought the spare coffee for. Dax was walking slowly towards her, across an open field. He passed within a few metres of where Garth was hidden, but didn’t appear to notice the werewolf in the thicket. His focus was on Faith, who had a hand on each paper cup. She slid one across the table when he was in reach, her eyes flicking over him appraisingly.

He still had the forced parting in his wavy hair. His thick framed glasses looked as though they had been broken, and then taped back together. His shirt was crumped, and his tie was gone. There was a bruised, hollow look to his cheeks, and he eyed Faith warily.

“Hi.” She said, and cringed. After eleven years together, after growing up with each other and taking off on their own, after years of calling themselves girlfriend and boyfriend? ‘Hi’ was definitely not enough of an opener. She tried again. “I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

Dax said nothing, but stood beside the bench. She let go of the cup she had pushed towards him, and gestured to it.

“Soy milk latte with vanilla and an extra shot of espresso, cinnamon on top. Like you like it.”

“What do you want, Faith?” He sounded defeated.

“To talk.” She sat back, letting him see the way her stomach protruded. His eyes fell to the bump.

“You’re pregnant.”

“Yeah.”

“Is it … I mean, we didn’t … I’m going to be a dad?”

Dax’s delivery was all wrong. There was no caution in his hesitation. It was more like he was saying what he thought she would want to hear. The words were delivered in a monotone. Faith forced herself not to overreact. Obviously Dax was going to be pissy with her when they had spent the last few months apart.

“No, Dax, you’re not. It’s a lot to explain. Sit down.”

Dax did, though it was clear in his body language that he didn’t want to. Faith knew her parents, and her uncles, Junior and Garth would all be waiting for her to ask the important questions. The ones about Stevie. She just had to be tactful, and time it right. Something that she never would have been able to do a few months before. Dax would have been proud of her restraint, before they split anyway.

“The baby?” Dax pushed. Faith bristled, but made herself answer politely.

“I didn’t cheat on you. It’s complicated.” She sighed. “It’s barely even mine.”

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t want to fight, Dax,” she said quietly. “And nor do you, or you wouldn’t be here. We both came because we both wanted to see each other, right?”

Dax shrugged a shoulder, and Faith clasped her coffee cup, which actually held raspberry tea. She wondered idly if he could smell it, if he knew how much had changed with this baby, and finding her family, and losing him.

“You never explained about the Men of Letters, or that potion you made.” She tried. He rolled his eyes.

“And you think you deserve an explanation?”

“After eleven years of relying on each other? Yes. Even if you don’t think my Dad and my Uncle do, even if you hate that they ended up legacies, the least you could do is explain it to me.”

“Where is your precious Daddy? I’m surprised he let you off the leash long enough to talk to me.”

“He’s near,” Faith admitted. It wasn’t part of the plan, but she wasn’t going to make him any more suspicious than he already was. “He’s worried about me going in to labour, so he’s near enough to help if I need it. But he promised to give us space.”

“Well, isn’t he just the best?” Dax said sarcastically. She took a sip of her raspberry tea, watching him over the rim of her cup.

“Time with Stevie has made you jaded,” she declared, and sipped from her drink again. He rolled his eyes, and she assessed him again. Had he always been like this? So caustic and sarcastic and ready to put her down? Had she been like it too, before she stumbled across her parents? Why had she ever convinced herself that she could love him? He seemed aware that she was critiquing him in her head.

“I’m sorry that I’m no longer perfect enough for you.”

She looked at him like she had never seen him before, and he glared back, setting his jaw. Faith didn’t think she had ever seen that expression on his face.

“Is that what you think?” She said quietly.

“Of course, Faith. You think you’re the shit. You can run into any situation, mess it up a ton and it will all still go right. You can find your parents after years apart and it all ends up like the Waltons. You’re part angel, because of course you’re just that perfect, you’re even better than a regular human.” He was spitting the words at her. “Precious little Faith with angels clearing up her messes and the Winchesters protecting her at all costs. You’re disgusting.”

The words might not have hurt, venomous as they were, if it weren’t for the fact that it was Dax saying them. She crumpled in on herself.

“So, we’re over.” She muttered. Yes, she had already decided on Junior, for so many reasons, but she had hoped that maybe there would be some friendliness remaining between them. It was clear that Dax didn’t even want that.

“We were never on to begin with, lets face it.”

She felt a tear track down her face, but made no move to wipe it.

“So what, you were only pretending to like me?”

“I coped with you being around. You had your uses.”

Faith stared at the rim of her cup.

“What did Stevie do to you?” She muttered under her breath. But Dax managed to hear, and began to laugh. The kind of laugh that evil meglomaniacs did in movies, the forced, deep belly laugh of a psycho. She looked up, glaring at him, ready to give him a piece of her mind, but Dax was already standing up, ignoring the drink she’d gotten for him. She’d remembered his order, and he’d blanked it. Eventually, he stopped laughing, and leaned closer, across the picnic table.

“Of course you’re asking about Stevie. Where’s your Mom, and his precious angel blade? Waiting with your Daddy to stab m-her? Going to use poor widdle Dax as bait? Are you even pregnant, or is that all some kind of ploy to get me to drop my guard?”

Faith blinked, and replayed the words in her head, catching the slip. Why would Dean stab Dax?

“Daddy knows not to hurt you, Dax. He promised.”

“And Mommy promised too, huh?”

Faith gave a small nod, and Dax smiled, that crazy gleam in his eye.

“Once there was a boy called Dexter, who thought he was cleverer than everyone else,” he dropped his voice low, and Faith wondered what this change of direction meant. She could barely keep up with the personality changes. Dax had always been consistent to the point of boring before. “He thought he could outsmart everyone, and charm anyone with power. He was a coward, hiding behind a powerful being. And then one day he got cocky, and thought he could trust someone else. Someone he knew could be dangerous.”

Dax’s voice hardened, and Faith watched in frozen fascination. She didn’t understand why he would be talking this way about himself. There was a shift in his eye, a minute change that lasted only a second, but Faith noticed. Her mouth ran dry, and she forgot the signal for her father. Because this wasn’t Dax, standing in front of her, making her feel worthless.

“And silly little too-big-for-his-boots Dax thought he could be her _equal_. That he was doing her a favour, and not the other way around. So what did Stevie do to Dax?”

“Ate his heart,” Faith breathed. Dax grinned widely. “And wore his skin.”

“Wore his skin,” Dax spat. “Please."

"But you're not Dax," Faith spoke slowly. "Is he even alive still, Stevie?"

"Is he even alive still? Do you have any idea what an antichrist is capable of? I killed him, then read his phone, decided to come looking just like him. I can look like anyone I want. Do you really think your precious Mommy will kill me if I looked like you?”

Dax’s - Stevie’s - hand darted forward, and Faith threw herself backwards, just out of reach. And then everything seemed to happen at once, the world was a burst of activity. Someone went running into Stevie, slamming her to the ground, Dax’s glasses slipping sideways even as the facade held. Faith fell onto the ground, just as a wave of pain hit her stomach, and she groaned loudly, curling in on herself to resist it. There was more movement, and shouting, and one person broke off from the group to pull Faith away from the melee.

“Come on,” Junior pleaded in her ear, his arms tucked under her armpits. “Faith, you have to help me, stop fighting me.”

“I can’t, it hurts, it hurts!” She cried out, trying to curl into a ball, to get rid of the stomach cramp. But even as she tried, it was already wearing off, and she staggered upright, letting Junior lead her away. She caught a glimpse of her parents, her uncles, and Garth all wrestling Stevie/Dax to the ground, yelling incoherently over each other.

Junior got her to a nearby mound, and she collapsed onto the grass as a fresh wave of pain hit.

“Oh, no,” Junior breathed. She was in too much pain to ask what was wrong. But again, the agony was only temporary, and she sprawled out on the grass.

“Not Dax. Stevie.” She panted, though she guessed that maybe Stevie had shifted back already.

“Huh? Oh yeah, we figured. That’s not the pro … are you okay?” He was panting too. She looked at him in concern, as yet another cramping sensation hit, and she curled into a ball again. “It’s okay, Faith! It’s going to be okay. Breathe with me, okay? Deep breaths, in and out.”

He shoved his hand into hers, and she squeezed so hard that they both heard bones breaking. Junior didn’t break a sweat, his focus was entirely on her.

“Junior,” she cried out, and he made soothing noises back.

“It’s going to be okay. I promise. But the baby’s not going to come out like this.”

She glared at him as he tried to reposition her gently, and she realised what he was saying. Her jeans were soaked, and her stomach cramps were coming frequently. She was already in labour.

“Stevie’s still alive!” She panicked, as her contraction finally eased off.

“Don’t worry about that now, Faith. You can’t worry about that. It’s five against one. What’s an antichrist going to accomplish against two Hunters, a werewolf, an angel and an archangel, right? Focus on the baby. That’s your job. You got me, okay? You got me.”

He kissed her forehead, and they shared a brief smile before another contraction was upon her. She squeezed his hand again, breaking bones that had barely begun to heal again, trying not to give in completely to the pain. Junior got her matching his breathing, and he tried to do it as slowly as possible. When the latest contraction faded, he winced at her.

“Faith? We’ve got to lose the pants. You can’t give birth in jeans.”

“Don’t look,” she begged him. “Please don’t look.”

He scanned the horizon, as though he would work out a solution across the grassy mound, and then he focused back on her.

“Keep talking to me, when you can. Okay? We’ll keep talking, and focus on the words, and … Faith, someone has to deliver this baby. I’m the only one not fighting. It has to be me.”

Junior didn’t look enthralled about the idea of witnessing a birth first hand, but he wasn’t going to back down either. He was spared the argument by the arrival of her next contraction, just as Castiel materialised over to them.

“What’s going on, Junior?”

“She’s in labour. Her waters broke already, contractions are … well, they’re close together. Is Stevie dead?”

“No. Dean, Garth, Sam and Gabriel are taking care of her. She’s putting up one hell of a fight.”

“You need to get back over there,” Junior insisted. Castiel glared at him.

“Right now, I need to be with my daughter. I need to make sure she and this baby are safe. You can stay here and support her, or you can go over there and help them take on a savage antichrist. Its your call.”

A sheet materialised out of nowhere, across Faith’s legs, where her jeans had disappeared at the same time. Junior wavered for a moment, and scooted closer to Faith’s head, giving her his other hand to crush. Castiel shot his daughter one apologetic look that she missed completely, and stuck his head under the sheet as well.

“Do you know what you’re doing?” Junior asked in a strangled voice. It was strange to think of him, looking at that part of Faith.

“I’ve seen several television shows that deal with birth,” Castiel spoke levelly under the sheet. “And she’s my little girl, Junior. I have changed her diapers and assisted with baths before. This is not new.”

“Sorry, I just,” Junior mumbled. Castiel stuck his head back out of the sheet, his expression kind.

“I know. But right now, the baby.”

“Grace,” Faith panted. “Called Grace.”

“You picked?” Castiel beamed. She shook her head.

“But I know it’s right.”

Castiel went under the sheet again.

“You’re nearly there, Faith.”

She nodded weakly, and looked over at the melee where Sam, Garth and Gabriel were restraining Stevie, and Dean was approaching her with an angel blade. And then she closed her eyes, as another contraction hit … and another … Castiel and Junior were both saying encouraging words and there was shouting from across the park, but Faith was so wrapped up in her pain, she was panting erratically, could barely feel Junior’s hand in hers. She knew that Grace was coming, the tension in her stomach was building, and her vision suddenly turned a blinding, brilliant white.


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I maybe could have finished this better ...

It had been a moment, or a thousand years, before Faith was aware of anything again. The glare of white became easier to bear, and she was able to pick certain details out. Like her mother, within reach, looking around with a frown on his face. And Junior beside her, looking around himself. Further away, in the expanse of white that seemed to have no real definition, she could make out a hazy shape that separated as it came closer. She made out her father first, squinting as he approached, then Sam, and Gabriel, and finally Garth, who ran forward and embraced Junior. The sound of their bodies colliding broke the spell that seemed to have been cast on them all, and Dean spoke up as he reached Castiel and Faith.

“Where the hell are we?”

Sam looked around the featureless surroundings.

“I don’t think we’re anywhere.”

“What the hell?”

Faith looked around herself, feeling that something was out of place, even in this world of white nothingness. She was back in her jeans, her stomach was flat, and the sheet that Castiel had conjoured to protect her modesty was long gone. She looked at her parents, her uncle, and then at the embracing werewolves. And here was the next clue that something was vastly different. Garth no longer looked like a wolf, but like a mild-mannered man with a narrow nose and kind brown eyes. He looked like a regular human. She watched him as he pulled away from Junior, making sure he was okay. And then Junior was turning back to her, smiling widely on his handsome face. She blinked, trying to get used to his human features. She had learned to love his snout, his whiskers. There was still a trace of the boy she had fallen for in his cheekbones, and the sandy colour of his hair. His eyes were the same kind hazel ones that sparkled when he looked at her.

“You’re really good looking,” she blurted tactlessly. He laughed, throwing his head back as he did, and Dean groaned.

“Great, she can finally see him. We’re doomed.” He muttered. Junior leaned forward and pecked her cheek, and she began to realise what was missing.

“Where’s Gabriel? And Grace?”

“Grace?” Dean repeated.

“The baby. She’s right, I was ready to catch the baby, to help it out, and then everything bleached out to this white light. Something’s happened, or gone wrong. Did you kill Stevie?”

“Ganked her like a pin cushion,” Dean nodded. “She went down, we looked over at you guys and then it was like … like Faith was turning into the light.”

“Maybe,” Sam mused. “Maybe that was the baby? I mean, how many nephilims are there giving birth to angels? We never knew what we were actually going to get. Maybe all this,” he gestured around them. “Maybe it’s all her. Grace.”

“Close.” Another voice spoke, and suddenly Chuck was standing among them, in ratty old jeans, converse and a green-and-white raglan. Castiel stepped in front of Faith protectively, as Dean stood straighter, eyeing Chuck with a hint of dislike. Sam, meanwhile, approached him and embraced him in relief.

“Chuck! You’re alive!”

Chuck allowed the hug to happen, before pulling away, and giving Sam an understanding look.

“I’m glad to see you too, Sam. But no, I’m not alive. Not in the same sense as you know it, anyway. I still exist, I’ll always exist, but alive in the human sense?”

“Where’s Grace?” Faith asked as Chuck paused in his speech. He peered around her parents, to where she was still sprawled on the floor. She decided that, on the whole, she liked this man she had never met, who seemed to know her uncle, although she had no idea what he was even doing with them right now.

“So, you’re Faith?” Chuck spared one glance at Castiel before smiling at her, walking right over and squatting down next to her. “You know, I don’t normally approve of my angels having relations with humans. But then, Castiel has always been a little different. And the bond your parents share … I suppose you were inevitable.”

He was looking at her closely, studying her, and she did the same right back.

“Your angels?” She repeated dubiously. “What do you mean, your angels?”

He smiled, and Castiel placed a hand on her shoulder protectively.

“You’ve been calling me grandpa. I like that. I think.” He looked at Castiel again. “You’re forgiven, Castiel. As is your daughter. My granddaughter, I guess.” Chuck shook his head as though the idea were absurd, and she felt overwhelmed. Because that meant that this man … and she had spoken to him and … 

“Where’s Grace?” She repeated. “I know I didn’t have her for long, but I did think I was going to be having a baby.”

Chuck gestured across the whiteness. They all looked, and Gabriel suddenly appeared, holding the hand of a small girl. Her hair was as dark as Castiel’s, her eyes as green as Dean’s, and there was something regal and graceful in the way she moved, though a contented happiness seemed to blaze out of her. She seemed young and old all at once as she approached their group, still clinging to Gabriel. Her eyes fell on Faith and she beamed.

“Hello, Faith,” she trilled.

“Hi,” Faith answered slowly. The little girl giggled.

“You don’t recognise me. That’s okay. Thank you for keeping me safe. Sorry to leave you the moment I was born but I have a lot to do right now. I came because you wanted to see me.”

“Grace?” Dean checked. She nodded, looking at him.

“Thank you Dean, for keeping us both safe.”

“You’re my granddaughter?” Dean said weakly. She shook her head.

“I’m not really a person. I’m manifesting as a child at the moment so that we can have this conversation. I’m more of an essence than anything. And I have work to do. Gabriel, take me back.”

Gabriel nodded, and gave Faith a reassuring smile.

“You did good, kid.”

They disappeared from view, and Castiel addressed Chuck now.

“She’s altering Heaven.”

“She’s undoing the wrongs of the angels. You’re not the only seraph who made mistakes, Castiel. But Grace will be the one to keep them in line, to put Heaven back to what it was meant to be. Grace will be running everything for me.”

Faith stared at the spot where Grace had been, frowning as she listened to Castiel and Chuck’s conversation. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen now. It sounded like God had taken her daughter and put her to use immediately. Her daughter who wasn’t a baby, but some kind of energy. It was confusing, and even more confusing that her mother seemed unsurprised at this outcome. She looked to her father, who had a poker-straight expression while he listened, though she could tell he was as put-out over the whole situation as she was.

“Chuck?” Sam said gently. “I know you’re busy, and Grace is busy, but … I mean, I’m a little thrown. We were meant to help Faith have this baby, and get rid of the antichrist kids. We’ve done that. So now what happens? I mean, are we going back to the bunker? Do we have to stay here in Bethlehem? What are we doing right now?”

Chuck looked up, and spoke to the ether rather than face Sam.

“You’re not on earth any more. No one within a five mile radius of Grace’s birth is. She’s a powerful being, Sam, more powerful than you can imagine. None of you survived her birth.”

There was a pause as they processed this, looking around again at their surroundings, trying to place reason to the situation.

“Except for Castiel, of course,” Chuck continued. “Grace’s arrival merely called him home.”

“We’re dead?” Garth double checked. “What about Bess?”

“She will learn of your death soon enough. She will continue to live.”

“And when she dies? I mean, am I going to Purgatory with her? Is Junior?”

Chuck looked down at his converse.

“This isn’t Purgatory, Garth. Your actions, and Junior’s actions, over the last few months have ensured that you won’t ever see that place.”

Everyone waited, but Chuck never mentioned whether Bess would also be joining them in Heaven. Instead, he clapped his hands together.

“Do you want the welcome party?”

He gestured across the vast nothingness, just as things began to change. Seats sprang up from the floor. Rock music played, a bar materialised from nothing. And people were suddenly all over the room, as Junior helped Faith to her feet. Dean and Sam were merging with the crowd, greeting the people who were suddenly everywhere, laughing and talking and hugging as they did. Faith hung back, Junior on one side of her and Castiel on the other, as she tugged on Chuck’s sleeve gently.

“Chuck, I mean, God, I mean-”

“Call me Chuck. I prefer it.” He gave her a reassuring smile.

“Chuck,” She tried again. “What about Dax? What happened to him?”

Chuck sighed, and placed a hand on each of her arms, just below the shoulder.

“Dax’s heart was eaten by Stevie. She was halfway through it, when his body crumbled to dust. His soul was too frayed to travel anywhere. Stevie performed an exorcism to remove his soul from walking the earth, but he had no chance of getting into Heaven as well. As far as I know, he is now nothing. Not demon or spirit, not a soul in Heaven or Hell. He’s ceased to be. But you were more fortunate to have met Junior here. He is no longer a werewolf, as I’m sure you’ve worked out by now. There is nothing preventing you from being together now. Except maybe Dean.” He gave a sideways smile, and looked to Castiel. “I’m going now. Enjoy the party with your human family.”

“Thank you, Chuck.”

They embraced, and Chuck disappeared, just as Dean threaded his way back through the crowds and grabbed his daughter’s wrist.

“Faith, Cas, come with me!” He seemed happier than either of them had ever known before, and pulled them through the masses of people until they stood before a pretty woman with blonde hair and kind eyes, and a rugged man who held her protectively. “Mom, Dad, this is Cas, and my daughter, Faith. Faith, Cas, this is my Mom and Dad.”

Faith looked at her grandparents, and they beamed back at her, simultaneously incasing her in an embrace. She peeked out from between them at her father, and signalled for him to join in. He did, as Sam exclaimed behind him, and dashed across the room. She lost sight of him through all the other people in the place who apparently knew her parents, and instead allowed her grandmother to hold her at arms length, looking her all over. She looked back, at this youthful woman with wavy blonde hair who seemed enthralled to have a grandchild.

“Daddy gave me your name,” she said quietly. “Mary’s my middle name.”

“I know. It’s so nice to meet you,” Mary pulled her into another hug, and then turned to Dean. Faith gave a sheepish smile to her grandfather, and sloped back to Junior, who was sitting on a seat at the edge of the room. She approached him nervously, even as his face broke into a grin when he saw her.

“I thought you’d be mingling with your family.” He said. “Even Dad knows people here. He shouted for someone called Bobby and ran off and now I’ve lost him.”

She nodded, looking all over his face, trying to get used to how human he looked.

“Are you okay?” He checked. “Apart from being dead, obviously.”

“That’s so weird.” She took the seat beside his. “Being dead. Not being a mom. I thought I was going to have to give up my life for Grace, but … and I can’t get used to how you look either.”

“Sorry. I did try to warn you.”

“You did not say you were hot.”

Junior laughed, and tangled their fingers together, tugging at her arm to pull her closer. She rested her head against his shoulder, watching Mary and John exclaiming over Sam and a blonde woman he was holding onto tightly. She guessed it was Jess, the girl who had died and taken Sam’s heart with her. Although by the look of it, Sam had his heart back, he didn’t seem ready to let Jess go. She held on closer to Junior, feeling him kiss the top of her head.

“I’m sorry your mom isn’t here,” she whispered. He nuzzled further into her hair.

“Me too. But I’m glad she gets to stay alive. I’ll miss her, but at least I’ll be with you.”

She sat up, and they looked at each other for an eternity, before she leaned closer and kissed him, relaxing as he kissed her back. He chuckled after a moment, and broke the kiss to whisper at her.

“Told you that you were going to be in my version of Heaven.”

She shook her head in exasperation, and pulled him back for another kiss, feeling her heart swell as she did.

 

*

 

Castiel stood to one side, watching his daughter with the werewolf boy she had fallen for, and Sam reuniting with Jess and his parents. Seeing Garth talking with Bobby, and Jo and Ellen and Ash and a whole host of Hunters Dean and Sam had loved and lost in the past. Dean sidled up to him eventually, also watching their daughter.

“I’m supposed to be mad at that. I should kick his ass.”

“You’re not going to.” Castiel mused.

“You’re right. And Junior’s done a lot for us.”

They fell quiet, watching the people they loved bonding, getting along, dancing and laughing and talking non-stop.

“So, this is Heaven, now?” He checked. Castiel nodded.

“Yes. No more bordering people into their individual memories. People are at liberty to see those they always loved whenever they want to. That was Father’s intention with Grace.”

“And you always knew that?”

“No. He only just let me know. Me, and every other angel.”

“And what about us?” Dean persisted. “What happens now?”

“You heard Chuck. We were inevitable. Faith was inevitable. He’s given us his blessing. And I promised you a place in Heaven beside me. You promised me that, when you died for the last time, we would be together.”

“So you don’t have any angelic duties?”

“I possibly do, from time to time. But you are my number one priority. Like you always were.”

They looked at each other in a way that echoed Faith and Junior’s intense gaze.

“I’m glad we had her,” Dean said eventually. “I’m glad you started all this.”

“Really?”

“Yes. The best moments of my life were the ones where you were loving me.”

Castiel stepped closer.

“I’ve loved you since the moment I raised you.”

“Sorry it took me forever to catch up.” Dean shrugged a shoulder, and Castiel’s expression softened.

“But you did.”

They leaned closer at the same time, holding each other suffocatingly tight.

“I love you too, man.” Dean muttered, so that only Castiel could hear.

“I know.” Castiel assured him. He felt Dean turn his head, and did the same, melting into his kiss. They were finally together, forever.


End file.
